Daniel Boulton admits killing ex-partner and her son in Louth but denies murder
A man who stabbed his ex-partner and her young son to death in an incident in Lincolnshire has admitted manslaughter – but continues to deny their murder.
Daniel Boulton, 30, is on trial accused of murdering his former girlfriend Bethany Vincent and nine-year-old Darren Henson in Louth on 31 May last year.
Today, on the second day of his trial at Lincoln Crown Court, he pleaded guilty to unlawful killing.
He also admitted assaulting PC Stephen Dennis with intent to resist arrest the day after the killings and burgling an empty cottage at Hubbards Hill, Louth.
But prosecutors said Boulton denies murder on the grounds he was suffering from a mental health condition.
Mr Justice Pepperall told the jury Boulton now accepts causing the unlawful deaths of Miss Vincent and Darren Henson and the issue they now have to decide is if he is guilty of murder.
They were told Ms Vincent had a restraining order against Boulton at the time of her death.
Prosecutors said Boulton admits the stabbing but says he was suffering from a mental health condition.
Opening the trial at Lincoln Crown Court, prosecutor Katherine Goddard QC said Boulton's relationship with Ms Vincent began in March 2019 but he had become increasingly violent towards her and her family.
The court heard that following a complaint to police in November 2019 Boulton was ordered not to contact her but "repeatedly broke it".
The weekend before the attack Boulton had sent nearly 900 messages to Ms Vincent on Facebook.
Ms Goddard said Boulton had also developed a "hatred" for Darren - also known as DJ - who had autism. He was also said to have threatened to "wipe out the blood line of her family".
When police arrived at the property after the attack they found Ms Vincent in the front room and Darren lying on the floor in his bedroom.
They also found a nine-month old baby crawling around the house "untouched and unharmed but clearly distressed".
Jurors heard that after the attack Boulton spent the night on the run, breaking into an empty cottage at Hubbards Hills, on the outskirts of Louth, where he stole some alcohol, clothing and food and left a note saying "I, Daniel Boulton, take full responsibility".
The next day he assaulted off-duty police officer PC Stephen Dennis who was walking his dog near Hubbards Hill, Louth, and tried to detain him before fleeing again.
Boulton was later cornered in a barn and tasered after trying to get some of the armed officers to shoot him, the court heard.
Ms Goddard told the jury there is "no dispute" he stabbed both victims, but that he claims he was "suffering from a recognised mental condition which substantially impaired his ability to form a rational judgement and exercise self-control".
Boulton, of Alexandra Road, Skegness, denies murdering Ms Vincent and her son.
The trial continues.