A "next-generation" true crime documentary on Channel 4 will tonight delve into the murder of a 19-year-old from Liverpool, exploring the digital evidence that led to his killers' conviction.
Matthew Daulby was fatally stabbed in the chest outside a bar in Ormskirk, Lancashire, on July 29, 2023. The upcoming episode of Murder Case: The Digital Detectives, airing at 9pm on Thursday, August 6, charts how his killers were brought to justice.
Digital Forensics in Focus
The official synopsis for the episode reads: "How detectives used digital forensics to uncover the events of the night Daulby was killed after a street fight in Ormskirk in July 2023." A social media groupchat flagged the names of two men who were also recorded talking about the stabbing in a churchyard.
The series, which bills itself as "next-generation true crime," tackles a fresh tragic case each episode. It states that through "ground-breaking police techniques," officers "solve murders on Britain's streets."
The Attack and Convictions
Daulby was attacked by 21-year-old Thomas Dures, also from Liverpool, and Henry Houghton of Scarisbrick. CCTV footage shown during the trial captured Houghton striking Daulby with an improvised weapon — a rock stuffed inside a tied-up sock.
Lancashire Police reportedly stated that Houghton struck the victim "with such force that it caused damage to his brain and likely disorientated him." Following the assault, Dures proceeded to fatally stab Daulby, who subsequently died in hospital.
In 2024, Houghton received a minimum 20-year prison sentence for his involvement in the murder. Dures evaded capture for 18 months before surrendering himself at a police station in Greece. Last year, he was convicted of murder at Preston Crown Court and handed a minimum sentence of 23 years imprisonment.
Murder Case: The Digital Detectives airs tonight, Thursday, August 6, at 9pm, on Channel 4.
