A FUGITIVE murder suspect wanted over the senseless slaying of a “beautiful and kind” teenager handed himself into Greek cops after becoming homesick.
Thomas Dures, 21, appeared in court in Athens yesterday after nearly 18 months on the run and begged to be returned to Britain as soon as possible.
Thomas Dures, 20, handed himself into Greek police after becoming homesick[/caption]
Dures is a murder suspect wanted over the death of 19-year-old Matthew Daulby (pictured)[/caption]
He was represented by the same Greek lawyer hired by Manchester United defender Harry Maguire ahead of his assault trial in Mykonos.
Dures fled the UK after 19-year-old Matthew Daulby was knifed in the chest during a clash outside a bar in Ormskirk, Lands, last July.
Officers moved their search to Spain and issued a £20,000 reward for information in helping to locate their suspect.
Matthew’s devastated parents tearfully urged anyone who knew of Dures’ whereabouts to “please do the right thing”.
His mum Angela said: “It is not natural to outlive your children, and the grief and the pain is with us daily.
“Every day I just wake up and think what I would give to have just five more minutes with Matthew.”
Mrs Daulby described her son as “kind, polite and caring”.
One man, 20-year-old Henry Houghton, has already been jailed for a minimum of 20 years after being convicted of his murder.
A jury at Preston Crown Court heard Houghton struck Matthew to the head with a rock in a sock to disorientate him before he was stabbed.
But the prosecution accepted he was not responsible for delivering the fatal blow.
Alexis Anagnostakis, who will be heading Maguire’s defence team when the footballer goes on trial in March next year, was contacted on Monday shortly before Dures surrendered.
Dures is understood to have walked into a local police station in Ilioupoli, a southern suburb of Athens, escorted by the hot-shot lawyer.
A police source said: “We were shocked to see this young man say he was wanted in England and he wanted to surrender.
“He made his statement and then was taken to cells in a bigger station.”
Anagnostakis told The Sun: “He surrendered voluntarily and he requested proceedings be fast-tracked so he can be home before Christmas.”
Dures appeared before an appeals court prosecutor in the Greek capital yesterday.
He was taken to Korydallos prison in Athens where he is due to be detained for at least ten days.
He is expected to appear before an appeals court judge in the coming days to have his extradition request formally heard.
Brit cops are slated to fly out to Greece to escort him back to the UK.
Lancashire Police said: “Dures was arrested in Athens on Monday and has appeared in court in Greece.
“Arrangements will be made to bring him back to the United Kingdom.”