Moment killer who murdered ex and her son, 9, is cornered after 24-hour manhunt

Watch: Moment double murderer is arrested after police manhunt

This is the dramatic moment police finally apprehended a double murderer who had let officers on a 24-hour manhunt.

Daniel Boulton, who was found guilty of murdering former girlfriend Bethany Vincent and her autistic nine-year-old son Darren Henson, attempted to evade police after the killings on 31 May last year.

Boulton, 30, had already fled the scene of the murders at 182 High Holme Road in Louth, Lincolnshire, and led police on a manhunt until the next day.

Helicopter footage shows Boulton attempting escape after he was tracked down to Hallington House Farm, having been spotted by off-duty officer Pc Steve Denniss.

Boulton stabbed Denniss in the leg before running off but he was traced to the farm, where he climbed over a fence in his bid to escape.

However, the footage shows armed police rapidly approaching Boulton before he was detained and arrested.

On Wednesday, Boulton was jailed at Lincoln Crown Court for life with a minimum term of 40 years.

Sentencing the killer, Mr Justice Pepperall said: “I am sure that you are a violent and very dangerous man and you present an ongoing risk of further violence and possible even homicide.”

Continuing his sentencing remarks, the judge told Boulton: “I am sure that you targeted (Darren) because of a hatred motivated by his autism and your irrational fear that such a condition would somehow affect your own son."

During Boulton’s trial, it was heard that he travelled 28 miles on foot from Skegness to Louth in order to kill Ms Vincent and her son.

Lincoln Crown Court was told Boulton, who was the subject of a restraining order following a complaint by Ms Vincent, developed a “hatred” for Darren and “loitered for hours” outside their home before the killings.

A nine-month-old child was seen crawling around the house when emergency services arrived at the property, and the court heard the killer later left a note saying: “I, Daniel Boulton, take full responsibility for 182.”

Boulton tried to claim he was on “autopilot” at the time of the murders, but jurors dismissed his defence of loss of control.

He admitted manslaughter on the second day of his trial, as well as assault with intent to resist arrest, and burglary, but denied murder.

After the defendant was convicted of both murders on Tuesday, Mr Justice Pepperall told Boulton, of Alexandra Road, Skegness, to expect a life sentence.

The jury heard how the relationship between Boulton and Ms Vincent, which had begun on the Tinder dating app, had “deteriorated” by the end of March 2019 and he was eventually ordered not to contact his ex-partner.

The prosecution said “persistent” Boulton had sent Ms Vincent nearly 900 messages over the bank holiday weekend, including one which said: “You destroyed my life and have the cheek to say I ruined yours.”

The killer had previously told a Salvation Army support worker that he wanted to “wipe out the bloodline” of Ms Vincent’s family.