Officer stabbed by double murderer nominated for bravery award

PC Stephen Denniss was commended by a judge for his bravery

A Lincolnshire police officer stabbed by a fugitive double murderer has been nominated for a bravery award.

PC Stephen Denniss was off duty and walking his dogs in Louth in June last year when he spotted Daniel Boulton.

Boulton, who has since been jailed for at least 40 years, was on the run after murdering his ex-partner and her son.

The officer saw him approaching a woman in a field and, fearing he would "attack or rob her", decided to confront the killer.

After a chase, Boulton pulled out a knife and demanded PC Denniss' phone.

In an earlier interview with the BBC, PC Denniss said Boulton had tried several times to stab him in the stomach, but ended up stabbing the top of his left thigh.

"I didn't consider that I was putting my life at risk," the officer said.

"I just saw one of the most dangerous offenders I have come across in my almost 20 years of policing and knew I had to do something."

Daniel Boulton was arrested at Hallington House Farm, not far from Louth

Despite his injury, PC Denniss continued to chase Boulton, who fled again before he was captured by armed police at a nearby farm.

Bethany Vincent and Darren Henson were found fatally stabbed in their home in Louth on 31 May 2021

During Boulton's murder trial, the judge commended PC Denniss "for his bravery in seeking to arrest Boulton while off duty and without any back-up or regard for his own safety in order to protect members of the public".

Helen Stamp, Chair of Lincolnshire Police Federation, said: "PC Denniss' actions demonstrate that he showed tremendous courage in tackling a man whom he knew had committed such atrocious crimes, putting the safety of the public before himself."

The National Police Bravery Awards ceremony is due to be held in London in July.