Laurence Dollimore
Have you seen Dures? Contact tips@theolivepress.es
MORE pictures have emerged of Thomas Dures in the hopes he will be recognised in Spain.
The 21-year-old (pictured above) is wanted by British police, who want to speak to him in connection with the murder of 19-year-old Matthew Daulby in Lancashire last year.
The National Crime Agency (NCA), often dubbed ‘Britain’s FBI’, has said Dures ‘could be anywhere in Spain’, where he is known to have connections.
Further pictures of Dures were shared by the British Embassy in Madrid on Friday.
They wrote: “Have you seen Thomas Dures? Detectives in Lancashire are widening their net to Spain in the search for 21-year-old Thomas Dures, who is a person of interest in the murder of 19-year-old Matthew Daulby.
“They are asking anybody living in or visiting Spain to be on the lookout for Dures and, working in partnership with UK charity Crimestoppers, are offering a £20,000 (€24,000) reward for information leading to his arrest.
“The reward is only available to people who pass on information exclusively to the UK charity Crimestoppers.
“If you have seen Dures, please contact Crimestoppers via their website or by calling +44 800 555 111.”
In July 2023, Daulby, 19, was stabbed to death in Railway Road in Ormskirk, Lancashire.
While Henry Houghton was jailed for life for the murder in March this year, police still want to track down Dures.
DCI Andy Fallows 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.”
The £20,000 reward for ‘information leading to the arrest of Thomas Dures’ is made up of £10,000 from Crimestoppers and £10,000 from Lancashire Police and the Crime Commissioner’s office.
Matthew’s parents Angela and Gary said: “Matthew was tragically taken from us on 29th 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 as 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.”
The reward is only available to people who pass on information exclusively to the charity Crimestoppers, either via their website or by calling 0800 555 111.
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.”
