Thomas Dures found guilty of murdering Lancashire teen Matthew Daulby after 18-month police hunt
A man who fatally stabbed a 19-year-old in Ormskirk before going on the run for 18 months has been found guilty of murder.
Thomas Dures, 21, was convicted of Matthew Daulby’s murder at Preston Crown Court today following a three-week trial.
He was also found guilty of wounding with intent and will be sentenced on Monday.
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What happened?
Police were called to Railway Road shortly after midnight on July 29, 2023 following reports of a disturbance.
Officers found Matthew Daulby suffering serious stab wounds a short distance away.
Despite emergency efforts, Matthew later died in hospital.
A Home Office postmortem confirmed Matthew died from a single stab wound to the chest.
What was the evidence?
Evidence shown during the trial included CCTV footage of Dures and an associate, Henry Houghton, lurking in an alley before approaching Matthew and his group.
Dures was seen brandishing a lock knife, while Houghton wielded a makeshift weapon - a sock tied around a rock.
During the altercation, Houghton struck Matthew with such force that it causes damage to his brain, likely disorientating him.
Taking advantage of this, Dures stabbed Matthew fatally in the chest.
Dures also stabbed two other men during the altercation, before fleeing the scene when hearing the sirens of an approaching police car.
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CCTV footage showed Dures then did a loop of Ormskirk town centre, during which time he discarded his jacket on a park bench in Triangle Park.
As he continued his route, Dures dumped the knife in a ginnel near Ormskirk Parish Church.
The jacket was later found by a dog walker and the knife was found by an estate agent. Both items were handed in to the police.
18 months on the run
Dures, of no fixed address but formerly of Whalley Drive, Aughton, sent voice notes to his associates before leaving the area in a taxi.
He then went on the run for 18 months before handing himself in at a police station in Greece.
‘Finally brought to justice’
Det Chief Insp Andy Fallows praised the investigation team and thanked the public for their support.
“After two long years, the man responsible for fatally stabbing Matthew Daulby has finally been brought to justice,” he said.
“This has been two years of pain and frustration in which the Daulbys have had so many unanswered questions.
“They have had to figure out a way to try and grieve, knowing the man responsible to taking their sons life before it had really started was actively evading justice, and celebrating his 21st birthday in the sun. Something Matthew will never be able to do. “
He added: “I’d like to thank my investigation team for everything they have done in securing this conviction, the Crown Prosecution Service and our KC, Peter Glenser and junior counsel Katy Appleton.
“I would also like to thank the public and the media for all the witness appeals they shared, and their help in keeping this case in the spotlight.”