Parents 'stuck in limbo' as search for man wanted over teen's murder moves to Spain

Police have broadened their search to Spain as they hunt for a man in connection with the murder of Matthew Daulby. Matthew, 19, was stabbed in the chest and hit with a rock during a mass brawl in Ormskirk last year.

The teenager was one of ten men who travelled from Maghull to Ormskirk before the fight broke out, shortly after midnight on July 29. They arrived in Railway Road in the early hours of the morning, where Matthew was hit over the head with rock stuffed into a sports sock by Henry Haughton, 19.

Matthew suffered a serious injury which damaged his skull and frontal lobe, and also suffered a knife wound to his chest. He collapsed in Moorgate in the aftermath of the attack and was taken to Aintree University Hospital, where he died at 1.15am.

READ MORE: Faces of 62 people jailed in Merseyside in September

READ MORE: Hero recovery truck driver wades through flooded street

Houghton, of Barrison Green, Scarisbrick, denied murder. However, he was found guilty of killing Matthew following a trial in March this year. Four other men appeared at Preston Crown Court accused of conspiracy to commit violent disorder last month.

Two men were found not guilty, but a jury was unable to reach a verdict with regards to the other two, and another trial was arranged for October 2024. Now, detectives have confirmed they have widened their search for Thomas Dures to Spain and are asking anyone who is living in or visiting Spain to be on the lookout for the now 21-year-old.

In August this year, Lancashire Police confirmed the reward for "information leading to the arrest of Thomas Dures" has doubled to £20,000, with £10,000 from Crimestoppers and £10,000 from Lancashire Police and Crime Commissioner’s office.

Matthew's parents Angela and Gary said: “Matthew was tragically taken from us on 29 July – the victim of a knife crime. To lose Matthew in these circumstances is incomprehensible and something that we just can’t fathom and work out.

“We ask ourselves every day; ‘why?’ Why did this happen? Matthew left the house after a normal Friday night evening meal with his girlfriend - excited to go on his holiday – and didn’t come home. And we still don’t know why.

“We really need the public’s help to find Thomas Dures. Someone out there will know where he is. We’re just stuck in limbo as a family. We urge someone out there please, please help our family to locate Thomas Dures. We can then try to adapt to our new life without Matthew.”

DCI Andy Fallows, of our Force Major Investigation Team, said: “It has now been over 12 months since Matthew’s murder and although one man has been found guilty, his family’s wait for justice goes on.

“Thomas Dures has known that my officers have wanted to speak to him for some time and while Matthew’s family continue to search for answers about what happened that night, Dures is out there and knows we want to speak to him.

“While I believe it is high time Dures does the right thing and hands himself in, I still have officers in the UK and our National Crime Agency/ Interpol colleagues searching for him.

“As part of those searches, I am asking for the public in Spain to get in contact with Crimestoppers if they see Dures or have information on his whereabouts. I want to make it clear, that unusually the public only need to provide information that leads to Dures’ arrest.”

Neil Keeping, NCA Regional Manager in Spain, said: “Dures has known links to Spain and could be living anywhere in the country. We are therefore appealing to people who reside in Spain and visiting holidaymakers to come forward with any information relating to his whereabouts.

“It has been over a year since Matthew Daulby’s life was taken in tragic circumstances, and we are actively working with our partners here in Spain to locate Dures, who may be able to assist Lancashire Police detectives with their ongoing investigation.

Gary Murray, North West Regional Manager at the charity Crimestoppers, said: “We know it can be difficult to give information directly to the police, especially when it involves dangerous criminals. This is why Crimestoppers exists as we guarantee you stay 100% anonymous when you pass on what you know.

"We are here 24/7 via our website or by calling our UK Contact Centre on 0800 555 111. For anyone in Spain who knows of Thomas Dures whereabouts, please contact Crimestoppers via our website Crimestoppers-uk.org.”