A new £20,000 reward is being offered for any information that leads to the arrest of Thomas Dures.
Police have wanted to speak to the 20-year-old ever since the fatal stabbing of Matthew Daulby, who died last July.
The Lancashire Police and Crime Commissioner’s office has now decided to match the £10,000 reward offered up by Crimestoppers, meaning anyone who provides information leading to the arrest of Thomas Dures could claim a huge £20,000 reward.
In a statement released this week, officers said that it is ‘high time he does the right thing and hands himself in’.
They also stressed that whoever is ‘assisting him in evading arrest’ will also face the courts.
ADVERTISEMENT
Matthew Daulby, 19, was found a short distance away from an ongoing disturbance at Railway Road in Ormskirk at around 12.05am on 29 July 2023.
He was found with stab injuries and despite the efforts of the emergency services, died in hospital as a result of his injuries.
ADVERTISEMENT
In March, Henry Houghton, 19, was jailed for life after being found guilty of Matthew’s murder.
But officers still want to speak to Thomas Dures as part of their enquiries into his death.
DCI Andy Fallows, of the 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.
ADVERTISEMENT
“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 about to celebrate his 21st birthday. It is high time he does the right thing and hands himself in.
“We know that people are assisting him in evading arrest. I want to make it clear to those people that we will ensure they are arrested and put before the courts.”
Clive Grunshaw, Police and Crime Commissioner for Lancashire said: “My decision to match the Crimestoppers reward to £20,000 makes clear Lancashire Constabulary’s commitment to deliver justice for Matthew Daulby’s family.
“We know that sometimes it’s difficult for people to go to the police about what they know – and that can be for a range of reasons including fear of intimidation or loyalties. Matthew’s family, together with the wider community, deserve to know what happened.”
The new, combined £20,000 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.
ADVERTISEMENT
If you know the location of Thomas Dures call 101, quoting log 1007 of July 29, 2023. For immediate sightings call 999.
Historic hidden library in Manchester city centre reveals £11m transformation plans
Emily Sergeant
Ambitious plans to transform one of Manchester’s greatest historical hidden gems have been announced.
Founded all the way back in 1806, The Portico Library – which is hidden in plain sight on Mosley Street, in the heart of the city centre – played a central role in Manchester’s rise as the world’s first modern city, and since then, it has been serving as a window into the past and a providing a place of inspiration for anyone who needs it.
But now, these new transformation plans, titled The Reunited Project, will ensure the building not only survives, but also thrives as the UK’s most sustainable historic library for generations to come.
The Portico Library‘s transformational scheme is supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, and will look to ‘reunite’ the historic building’s three floors for the first time in over a century, creating a fully-accessible and sustainable cultural library.
Crucially, plans will see a step-free entrance and lift installed to make the library accessible to all.
There’ll also be new exhibition and event spaces introduced as part of the scheme to explore the stories of Manchester’s communities and the city’s heritage.
There will a Northern Bookshop, showcasing regional and emerging writers, and independent publishers, as well as a creative Portico Kitchen, which will celebrate the city’s food culture, writing, and history.
A place for school groups, families, and all people to explore Portico’s collection and experiment creatively also forms part of the plans.
“Portico Reunited is about more than restoring a building,” explained Dr Thom Keep, who is a Librarian & the Chief Executive of the Portico Library, after the transformation plans were submitted to Manchester City Council.
“It’s about opening doors to stories, ideas, heritage and communities across Greater Manchester.
“These plans secure Portico’s future, unlocking the power of heritage to inspire Manchester’s visitors and residents to explore, share, and celebrate their stories and the city’s literary and global heritage.”
If the plans are approved by the Council, The Portico Library will close for around 18 months for construction, during which it will continue to engage the public through its ‘Portigo !’ pop-up programme.
Featured Image – Portico Library
News
Government announces homebuying overhaul to fix country’s ‘broken’ housing system
Emily Sergeant
The Government has announced what it’s calling the biggest shakeup to the homebuying system in this country’s history.
In a bid to ‘rewire a chaotic system which has become a barrier to homeownership for thousands nationwide, the Government has today (Monday 6 October) unveiled proposals that it says will speed up the long-drawn out and costly process of buying a home by four weeks.
The Housing Secretary says this will not only save people money, but unnecessary stress too.
The proposed new plans would see sellers and estate agents required to provide buyers with ‘vital’ information about a property upfront – including the condition of the home, leasehold costs, and chains of people waiting to move.
It’s hoped this will help end any last-minute chain collapses and ultimately give greater confidence to first-time buyers when they’re making one of life’s most important decisions.
The Government has announced plans to fix the country’s ‘broken’ housing system / Credit: Benjamin Elliott (via Unsplash)
Binding contracts could also be introduced to stop people walking away from agreements after buyers painstakingly spend months in negotiations to hopefully halve the number of failed transactions.
The new reforms are also proposing that prospective buyers are provided with side-by-side information on estate agents and conveyancers, including their track record and expertise, alongside new mandatory qualifications and Code of Practice to drive up standards and work to rebuild trust in the industry.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer took to Twitter this morning to address the proposed new homebuying overhaul, commenting: “I promised that my Government would fix the broken housing system.
“Buying or selling a home will be faster, unlocking the dream of homeownership and allowing hardworking people to focus on the next chapter of their lives. That’s national renewal.”
I promised that my government would fix the broken housing system.
Buying or selling a home will be faster, unlocking the dream of homeownership and allowing hardworking people to focus on the next chapter of their lives.
Daisy Jackson -
20th August 2024 
