THE mother of murdered York backpacker Caroline Stuttle said today her heart went out to the family of a British girl killed in Thailand.

Marjorie Marks-Stuttle said news of the death of 21-year-old psychology student Katherine Horton brought memories of Caroline flooding back.

Katherine, from Cardiff, had flown to Koh Samui for the New Year with a friend from Reading University.

Mrs Marks-Stuttle, of Pocklington, said: "My heart goes out to Katherine's parents and family because I know what they are going through. It's just so utterly devastating when a young life is taken like that.

"Whenever I hear a backpacker has been killed, it brings Caroline back to the forefront of my mind."

Following the murder of Caroline, who had planned to study psychology, Mrs Marks-Stuttle, with her son, Richard, and husband, David Marks, founded Caroline's Rainbow Foundation, which aims to help young backpackers keep safe while fulfilling their dream of travel.

She said: "It's still a rare occurrence that something this tragic happens and people should not be put off going abroad, but the important thing is they don't put themselves in dangerous situations and research thoroughly before they go."

It is thought Miss Horton was attacked after leaving her friend and walking alone along the beach to chat on her mobile phone to her mother, Elizabeth, in Cardiff, on Sunday evening.

Her body was found the next morning floating in shallow water off Lamai beach by jet-ski operators. She had been beaten about the body and head, and possibly raped, before being dumped in the sea.

Speaking from Thornhill, Cardiff, Mrs Horton said her daughter had already called home once to wish her family a happy New Year. She said: "That was the last we heard of her. She sounded so happy out there."

Miss Horton was with Ruth Adams, also 21, on a two-week backpacking holiday. The pair had flown out on December 27, and were staying at the £10-a-night New Hut Bungalow resort on New Year's Eve.

Dr Pattana Kitkailart, who carried out a post-mortem examination in Bangkok, said it was not clear if Miss Horton had been raped, adding that further tests would be conducted.

Caroline Stuttle was killed more than three years ago when she was attacked by 32-year-old Ian Previte while travelling in Australia. In the struggle for her handbag, she was thrown off a bridge.

Previte was found guilty in October 2004 of the murder and robbery of 19-year-old Caroline, from Huntington, in the Australian city of Bundaberg, Queensland, on April 10, 2002.

He was sentenced to life imprisonment and cannot be paroled for 15 years. In September last year, he lost an appeal against his murder conviction.

Caroline's Rainbow Foundation website, www.carolinesrainbowfoundation.org, has links to organisations like the Foreign Office, giving advice for people who intend to travel.

Updated: 10:24 Wednesday, January 04, 2006