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00:02He, obviously, was on a mission.
00:06I felt like he was just such a dangerous person.
00:11Every time you did phone the police, they did turn up, but nothing was done.
00:18He is a violent, unstable character.
00:22He sets out on foot to walk 28 miles to the house Bethany shares
00:29with DJ and the baby.
00:33The messages clearly step up every step of his way.
00:39This is him trying to be in control.
00:47She was just too scared to say anything.
00:50He's saying that if it isn't sorted out, he will wipe out the bloodline.
00:56He'd ever drink worse, knowing that he'd already told somebody
01:00what he was going to do and nobody believed it.
01:06I don't think it'll ever get any easier.
01:10Still to this day, why?
01:29That day was a normal day for us.
01:31Bethany was buzzing about places being packed up.
01:35My van and removals was all in place.
01:39I was excited for her because it was a Sunday
01:43and I knew that she was moving on the Tuesday.
01:47DJ had just got his hair cut a certain way
01:50that he's been asking for for months.
01:52He looked grown up.
01:54He looked pretty cool, actually.
01:57We knew when she moved, it would be totally different for her.
02:03You know, just her place.
02:05It's like you can put all that darkness behind you
02:08and all the bad times behind you
02:10and look for this fresh start for her.
02:15Even if he did find out where she was,
02:18I was literally only around the corner
02:20and Mum and Dad wouldn't be so far away.
02:23So if something did happen, we would be there.
02:26But I didn't know what he was doing at the time.
02:32Bethany's move from Louth was imminent
02:35and for some reason
02:37and without discussing it with anybody.
02:41Shortly before midnight on the 30th of May,
02:44Bolton walked from the hostel in Skegness
02:48to Bethany's home in Louth,
02:5228 miles overnight.
02:58Bolton's mental health in this shelter
03:01means that the absolute risk to her is much heightened.
03:06But this isn't conveyed to her.
03:20I had no idea about what was going on
03:24or brewing
03:25or that he was walking so many miles to her.
03:29No one did.
03:32Every step of the way,
03:34it was very much about
03:37how do I get control back of this relationship?
03:40He's speaking to a number of people
03:42about his agitated and aggressive state.
03:47This is now a guy
03:49with real high risk of harm to Bethany.
03:54He's exceptionally dangerous.
03:58We had no idea.
04:08Bethany had always been a real strong person.
04:11A real good judge of character up till then.
04:16She used to do a lot of reading.
04:19She loved reading.
04:23It's all right.
04:24It's just a bit odd talking about her.
04:25Sorry.
04:28We loved Centre Parcs.
04:30Everything about Centre Parcs,
04:31it's just our place to go.
04:35We always used to love swimming,
04:37especially at night time too.
04:39The swimming was really good at night time,
04:41going down the rapids and that.
04:43I know we always used to wind Mum and Dad off a lot
04:46because we was always fighting a lot.
04:50They used to fight about silly little things
04:53but always stick up for each other.
05:00So Bethany came along
05:02and said she was seeing a boy from the village
05:05and when we found out who it was,
05:08we weren't best pleased.
05:12Kieran was a bit of a bad boy
05:14but Bethany did what she did.
05:18She was besotted.
05:19She was very young.
05:22On April Fool's Day,
05:24she came in and told us she was pregnant.
05:28We took Kieran in
05:29and he moved in with us.
05:31We thought at least we know where they are.
05:32They're safe, they're warm.
05:34We got everything sorted and ready for baby coming.
05:40I was with her when DJ was born.
05:46The love was there straight away.
05:51When it all come along,
05:52I felt proud.
05:57And it got to the stage
05:58where they were coping well
06:01so we thought, right,
06:02well, they don't want to be living with us forever
06:04so we looked for a little place for them
06:07and then they went to their own little place.
06:10Obviously, they had their ups and downs
06:12and obviously, I had to step in now and again.
06:15But they were good.
06:19Ready?
06:20Count!
06:30We could tell he was
06:32not developing
06:34as he should be
06:35verbally and this and the other.
06:37DJ,
06:38say,
06:39I love you.
06:41DJ, say it.
06:43Say it.
06:44I love you.
06:46Now be me, kids.
06:49He was just over two years old
06:51when he got diagnosed with autism.
06:55It was hard on them
06:56but she just carried on
06:58and Kieran did as well.
06:59I mean, he proved to me
07:00that he was a good parent.
07:04They did separate.
07:05I think they got together
07:07too young
07:07and too soon.
07:10To be honest,
07:11he had a brilliant childhood
07:12with his mum
07:13and his dad
07:16and his nana.
07:25Bethany was single
07:26for a good few years.
07:28She was quite happy
07:30to provide for DJ.
07:33She'd moved to a little bungalow
07:35which was nice
07:36just round the corner from us.
07:39we got the inkling
07:41that she was talking
07:41to someone online
07:45which she kept quite private
07:46for a while
07:47but then announced
07:49that she had been speaking
07:50to someone online.
08:07I hate saying his name.
08:11Do I have to say his name?
08:12No.
08:13Okay.
08:18I don't want to say his name.
08:41She told us
08:42that he used to live
08:44in the village.
08:46He used to go
08:47to her primary school.
08:48He then moved away
08:50but moved back
08:51to the area.
08:52He seemed a really
08:54polite,
08:56nice young man.
08:57Yeah.
09:02I was happy for her
09:03that she'd met somebody
09:04that was nice.
09:07At the beginning
09:08with DJ
09:08he was quite understanding
09:10so that was a good thing.
09:13No big warning signs
09:15then.
09:17He was ticking
09:18all the boxes at first.
09:20But obviously
09:21in the back of my mind
09:22why?
09:23You know,
09:24where did they meet?
09:25I was on the fence
09:27and is that apparent thing?
09:29I don't know.
09:32But my daughter's happy
09:33so I have to stand by.
09:49I suppose
09:51it changed
09:52when Bethany
09:53always used to
09:55phone mum
09:55so many times a day
09:57and then
09:58them phone calls
09:59started to go a bit less.
10:01Which I thought,
10:02you know,
10:02she's in a new relationship now.
10:04She doesn't want her mum
10:05phoning her all the time.
10:06So you kind of
10:07sweep that
10:08under the carpet a bit.
10:11There was a time
10:12when we didn't hear
10:13for her for a few days.
10:16So we went round,
10:17knocked on the door.
10:19She shut the door on us.
10:23Never ever
10:24has she ever done that
10:25to me
10:26to me
10:26or a mother.
10:28But then it started
10:29to get
10:30a bit worse.
10:34When you hear
10:34your daughter
10:35upset on the phone,
10:36it's not nice.
10:38It's not nice.
10:40It just seemed
10:41to creep up
10:42so slowly
10:43but then
10:44in a contradiction
10:45it just seemed
10:45to happen like that.
10:49The extra layer
10:51of tragedy
10:51to me
10:52is that so many people
10:54knew the risks
10:55of Daniel Bolton
10:56but didn't act on them.
10:58Every step
10:59of that long way
11:00he's going to be
11:02more and more
11:03intent
11:04on getting his way
11:05however
11:06that is to be.
11:08This is all
11:10leading
11:10in one
11:11inexorable direction.
11:25Obviously
11:26through time
11:27the place
11:27where we live
11:28the people
11:29that I knew
11:29their sons
11:31started to give me
11:32little inklings
11:33that he's a bad boy.
11:35He'd been in prison.
11:40We only knew
11:41what Bethany
11:41had told us
11:42he'd spent time
11:43in prison
11:44for an altercation
11:46a fight
11:46with a lorry driver
11:48and then we asked
11:49how long
11:49he'd been in prison
11:50for
11:51and she says
11:52oh he was sentenced
11:52to eight years.
11:58And that didn't
11:59ring right with us
12:00you know
12:01for a fight
12:02and we said to her
12:03is that all that's happened
12:04and she said
12:04oh yeah
12:04that's all that's happened
12:05he's told me everything
12:06so that's all we knew
12:08that's all we knew
12:09that Bethany knew
12:10as well.
12:12She would tell us
12:14that she's asked him
12:15numerous times
12:16and he's said the same thing
12:17over and over again
12:18and is a changed person.
12:23We was always
12:24not trusting of him
12:26after that really.
12:29In terms of the
12:30interpersonal relationships
12:31he had
12:32with Bethany
12:33and with Bethany's family
12:35Bolton was his own gatekeeper.
12:38The slight elevated concerns
12:41that Caroline had
12:42about Bethany
12:43it's not human nature
12:45necessarily
12:45to put all of those
12:47things together
12:47except
12:48in hindsight.
13:14through covering Bethany
13:16and DJ's story
13:17I feel like
13:18I feel like
13:18I've got to know
13:19them.
13:20At first
13:22I think everybody
13:23was quite excited
13:25about the relationship
13:26Bethany seemed
13:27really happy
13:28Bolton seemed
13:29quite charming.
13:31We know now
13:33that Bolton
13:33was trying to hide
13:34his true self
13:35and his true
13:37past
13:38and even when
13:39bits of information
13:41did emerge
13:42about his history
13:43he always found
13:44a way to
13:45play it down
13:46came up with
13:47a different story
13:48and just fed
13:49Bethany
13:50the narrative
13:50that he wanted.
13:55Daniel Bolton
13:56lived with mum
13:57and then went
13:57to live with dad
13:58and a stepmother
14:00and very soon
14:01he didn't get on
14:02very well at school
14:03and at a very early age
14:05and I'm talking
14:06sort of into his teens
14:07he was getting
14:07into trouble
14:08with the police
14:10and that sort of
14:11continued into
14:12his late teenage years
14:13where he got
14:14a substantial sentence
14:15for a physical assault
14:17on another person.
14:22In December 2018
14:23he was actually
14:24convicted
14:25for attacking
14:26his partner
14:26at that time
14:28and he was actually
14:29given a restraining
14:30order for that.
14:32So he'd been
14:33with his partner
14:34about a year
14:34and what happened
14:36was that he
14:36assaulted her
14:37she waited until
14:38he was asleep
14:39and she got out
14:40of the house
14:41and reported him
14:42to the police.
14:44There's a pre-sentence
14:45report which basically
14:47says that he's
14:48at medium risk
14:48to partners
14:50in particular
14:51if that relationship
14:52ends
14:53and when he first
14:54met Bethany
14:55that was the risk
14:56that he had.
15:02At the time
15:03I didn't know
15:04he had a restraining order.
15:06We didn't know that.
15:07We didn't know
15:07he'd got any
15:08restraining order
15:08against an ex-girlfriend.
15:11All we knew
15:11was what he told Bethany
15:13and what she told us.
15:14We knew nothing else.
15:17Whatever he told her
15:18she didn't really
15:19tell us much
15:20because obviously
15:20if she told me
15:21then I'm not saying
15:22it wouldn't have happened
15:23but I would have
15:25more to say
15:25about the relationship.
15:29It's infuriating.
15:31I think she was
15:32just infatuated.
15:38His track record
15:40shows that
15:40he simply
15:41could not
15:41bring himself
15:42to stop
15:43doing what
15:44he was doing.
15:45I would characterise
15:47him as
15:48out of control.
15:49Somebody that
15:50really was
15:51a worry.
15:52A worry to
15:53his family
15:54worry to society.
16:17It got to the stage
16:18where she would
16:19only phone
16:20for a few seconds
16:21at a time
16:22and you could tell
16:23she was like
16:23yeah, yeah, it's alright
16:24he's just gone to the shop.
16:27He cancelled
16:27the internet
16:28as well
16:29which made things
16:29harder.
16:31She never asked
16:32for help
16:32because she wanted
16:33to deal with it
16:34herself
16:34but obviously
16:35by this time
16:36he's gotten ahead.
16:40I think they
16:40did split up
16:41or they had
16:42like an argument
16:43or something
16:44like that
16:45and then
16:45they worked
16:46things through
16:47and they got
16:48back to cover.
16:51They told a number
16:52of professionals
16:53that they'd split up
16:55but he was still
16:56living in the home.
16:57He was apparently
16:58living on the sofa.
17:01At this period
17:02of time
17:02it is only known
17:04to probation
17:04of the riskiest
17:06partners
17:06in particular
17:07if they separate
17:08from him
17:09but obviously
17:09probation
17:10when they find out
17:11that this is
17:12a single mum
17:12in a relationship
17:14with him
17:15I wish they'd
17:16spoken
17:17and passed
17:18some information
17:18to local services.
17:19I think this is
17:21a keen
17:22missed opportunity
17:23because clearly
17:24she isn't safe.
17:48So in December 2019
17:51the probation
17:52involvement
17:53with him ceased
17:54and that meant
17:55that there was
17:56nobody monitoring
17:57him at all.
17:59During his probation
18:00order
18:01there were numerous
18:02times that he
18:03didn't make meetings.
18:06My understanding
18:07is that if somebody
18:09misses a probation
18:10meeting without
18:11good reason
18:12for it
18:13they should be
18:14technically breached
18:16they should be
18:16brought back
18:16to the court
18:17for failing
18:18to comply
18:18with the terms
18:19of that order
18:20and consideration
18:21be given
18:22to resentencing
18:23them for the
18:24original offence
18:24that they received
18:26the order for.
18:27But so many people
18:28miss so many
18:29appointments
18:29there's not
18:30enough capacity
18:32for enforcement.
18:35If they had
18:36been aware
18:36I think she would
18:37have been
18:38more concerned.
18:40So that
18:41reinforces
18:42him that
18:43in particular
18:43when it finishes
18:44with no
18:45going back
18:46to court
18:46and no breach
18:47that he's
18:48entitled to
18:49do what he
18:49wants.
18:58The next thing I know
18:59Bethley's come
18:59round and she said
19:01it's all kicked off
19:02it's all kicked off
19:03and I went
19:04why what's on
19:04she goes
19:05I'm pregnant
19:10and she said
19:10he's threatening
19:11me
19:11he's doing
19:12this
19:12so obviously
19:13my back's up
19:14and he said
19:14he'd be round
19:14in a minute.
19:17all I could think
19:18was oh my god
19:20why
19:39In December of 2019
19:41Bethany discovered
19:42that she was
19:43pregnant
19:43to Bolton
19:46He was
19:47mouthing off
19:47about Bethany
19:48you know
19:49she's a crap
19:50mother
19:50and have you
19:51heard she's
19:51pregnant
19:52she can't
19:53look after
19:53one kid
19:54she won't
19:54be able to
19:54look after
19:55my kid
19:56but then
19:57he
19:57offered Darren
19:58out
19:59and was saying
19:59you know
20:00come on
20:00hit me
20:00hit me
20:01I'm a hard
20:02man
20:02hit me
20:03you don't
20:03think I've
20:03had this
20:04done
20:04before
20:06and that
20:07time
20:07when he
20:08threatened me
20:09I called
20:09the police
20:11and we
20:12told him
20:12we phoned
20:12the police
20:13and he
20:13disappeared
20:14then
20:15but Bethany
20:16seemed quite
20:17shook up
20:19I'm very
20:20aware that
20:21something's
20:21not right
20:21out of the
20:22blue
20:22why would
20:23you come
20:23round
20:24and say
20:25that my
20:25daughter
20:26is not
20:27capable
20:27or not
20:28fit
20:29and obviously
20:29if you say
20:30that to me
20:30it's about
20:31my daughter
20:31that he
20:32has no
20:33idea
20:33about
20:33I'm not
20:34happy
20:35with that
20:40obviously
20:41by this
20:41time
20:42he's
20:42gotten ahead
20:43so anything
20:44I said
20:44about him
20:45was
20:45turned away
20:46oh dad
20:48you're being
20:48silly
20:48and I said
20:49you don't
20:50understand
20:51he's just
20:51come round
20:52kicking off
20:52so what
20:53do you
20:53think he
20:54thinks of
20:54you
20:54no he's
20:55just
20:55upset
20:58so the
20:58police
20:59turn up
20:59by this
21:00time
21:00Bolton
21:01has
21:01gone
21:02I believe
21:03that at
21:03that stage
21:04the fact
21:05that he
21:05went to
21:05court
21:06and the
21:06fact that
21:07he still
21:07had a
21:07restraining
21:08order
21:08against
21:08the
21:08other
21:09partner
21:09meant
21:09that
21:10some
21:10action
21:10should
21:10have
21:11been
21:11taken
21:14one
21:14action
21:14I felt
21:15that
21:15wasn't
21:16taken
21:16that
21:16should
21:16have
21:17been
21:17he
21:17wasn't
21:18even
21:18spoken
21:18to
21:19and
21:20he
21:20should
21:20have
21:20been
21:42after
21:42that
21:42argument
21:43we spoke
21:44to
21:44Bethany
21:44and she
21:45said she
21:45wanted to
21:46keep the
21:46baby
21:48I
21:49didn't
21:49really
21:49know
21:49how
21:49to
21:50feel
21:50because
21:51I
21:51just
21:53I
21:54didn't
21:54know
21:54if
21:54it
21:55was
21:55for
21:55the
21:56right
21:56reason
21:58we
21:59was
21:59honest
21:59with her
21:59then
21:59you
22:00know
22:00I
22:00don't
22:01think
22:01it's
22:01a
22:01good
22:01idea
22:01for
22:01you
22:02to
22:02be
22:02with
22:02him
22:05everything
22:06seemed
22:06alright
22:06for
22:07a few
22:07days
22:07and
22:07then
22:08we
22:08went
22:08round
22:08once
22:09and
22:09noticed
22:09his
22:09motorbike
22:10outside
22:10the
22:11bungalow
22:11and
22:11he
22:11turned
22:12up
22:12again
22:14all
22:14I
22:14thought
22:15about
22:15is
22:15this
22:16guy
22:16is
22:16never
22:16going
22:16to
22:17be
22:17out
22:17of
22:17her
22:17life
22:17I
22:18felt
22:18like
22:18she
22:19was
22:19trapped
22:21I
22:32think
22:32the
22:33tensions
22:33between
22:34the
22:34two
22:34of
22:35them
22:35increased
22:36because
22:37of
22:37his
22:37increasing
22:39dislike
22:40and
22:41expression
22:41of
22:42hatred
22:42towards
22:44DJ
22:44She
22:52was
22:53hugely
22:53protective
22:54of
22:54DJ
22:54she
22:55loved
22:55that
22:55little
22:55boy
22:56but
22:57after
22:58Bethany
22:59became
22:59pregnant
22:59with
22:59the
22:59baby
23:00Bolton's
23:01attitude
23:01appeared
23:02to
23:02change
23:02in
23:03the
23:03sense
23:04that
23:04he
23:04became
23:05increasingly
23:06concerned
23:06that
23:07DJ's
23:08autism
23:09would
23:09somehow
23:09rub
23:10off
23:11onto
23:11the
23:11baby
23:12that
23:13DJ's
23:13autism
23:14would
23:14somehow
23:15infect
23:15the
23:16baby
23:17he
23:17expressed
23:18repeatedly
23:19a wish
23:19for
23:19DJ
23:20to be
23:20dead
23:24we
23:25we were
23:25more
23:25scared
23:26of
23:26where
23:26it's
23:26going
23:26than
23:27hopeful
23:28it
23:29would
23:29change
23:36so during
23:38the period
23:38that
23:38Bethany's
23:39pregnant
23:40both
23:40Bethany
23:41but also
23:42Daniel Bolton
23:43are continually
23:44at health
23:45services
23:46Bolton
23:47at some
23:48mental health
23:48services
23:49services
23:49as well
23:50displaying
23:50lots of
23:51anxiety
23:54so Bolton
23:55was always
23:55very insistent
23:56that health
23:58professionals
23:58needed to give
23:59him a service
24:00they did try
24:01and accommodate
24:01him
24:01but what he
24:02then didn't do
24:03was that he'd
24:04never followed
24:04it through
24:05he'd rarely go
24:06to the next
24:07meeting or the
24:08next appointment
24:09and so that
24:10meant they could
24:10never really get
24:11to grips with
24:12his mental
24:13health
24:15he'd got
24:16into a
24:16head
24:17that she
24:17had depression
24:18and she
24:19ended up
24:19going to
24:20the doctors
24:20and being
24:20put on
24:22antidepressant
24:22tablets
24:23obviously
24:24she probably
24:24did feel
24:25depressed
24:26but it was
24:26more him
24:27these mind
24:28games again
24:30so the
24:31key bit
24:32for me
24:33what was
24:34making her
24:35be anxious
24:35what was
24:36making her
24:36have low
24:37mood
24:37was it
24:38Daniel
24:39Bolton
24:39it didn't
24:41get to the
24:42core of
24:42what her
24:42issues were
24:44it was
24:45getting more
24:45and more
24:46controlling
24:46more and
24:47more controlling
24:48it's just
24:49mind
24:49manipulation
24:52you could
24:53see
24:53that same
24:55approach
24:55underpinning
24:56everything
24:59it was
25:00all
25:01always
25:02about
25:02what
25:03he
25:04felt
25:11they
25:12were
25:12at
25:13high
25:13risk
25:13of
25:13harm
25:13from
25:14him
25:14I
25:15know
25:15I'm
25:15looking
25:15in
25:16hindsight
25:16but
25:17a lot
25:17of
25:17the
25:18evidence
25:18was
25:18there
25:19just
25:19based
25:19on
25:20his
25:20past
25:20history
25:38I
25:39was
25:39there
25:39when
25:39baby
25:39was
25:39being
25:40born
25:40again
25:42she
25:43did
25:43so
25:43well
25:43bless her
25:44she
25:44really
25:44did
25:45because
25:46she
25:46could
25:46only
25:46have
25:46one
25:46person
25:47you
25:47see
25:47so
25:48yeah
25:48and
25:49mum's
25:49know
25:49best
25:52so
25:52exciting
25:53Harry
25:54is
25:54my
25:55son
25:55I
25:56kept
25:56all
25:57of
25:57Harry's
25:58clothes
25:58so
25:59I
25:59did
25:59give
26:00Bethany
26:00quite
26:00a lot
26:01of
26:01clothes
26:03seeing
26:04the
26:04baby
26:04was
26:05nice
26:05but
26:06all
26:06I
26:06saw
26:07was
26:07him
26:07and
26:07it
26:08was
26:09really
26:09hard
26:11but
26:12Bethany
26:12was
26:12happy
26:13the
26:14family
26:14was
26:15happy
26:15it's
26:16a
26:16new
26:16baby
26:23he
26:23seemed
26:24quite
26:25normal
26:26just
26:27after
26:27baby
26:27had
26:27been
26:27born
26:29I
26:29think
26:30it
26:30just
26:30made
26:31them
26:31grow
26:31up
26:32a
26:32little
26:32bit
26:32I
26:33don't
26:33think
26:33the
26:34arguments
26:34were
26:35as
26:35bad
26:35then
26:37so
26:37yeah
26:37the
26:38first
26:38week
26:38or
26:38so
26:39was
26:40okay
26:40and
26:40then
26:40the
26:41arguments
26:41started
26:41again
26:42with
26:43them
27:00on
27:01on the
27:01morning
27:02before he
27:03arrived in
27:04Louth
27:05he stopped
27:06at a car
27:07boot sale
27:08and bought a little
27:09toy tractor
27:10for his
27:10for his child
27:12of really
27:13incongruous
27:14little detail
27:15and all
27:17the time
27:18Bolton
27:19walking
27:20towards
27:21Bethany
27:34Bethany
27:35was quite
27:35tired
27:36she phoned us
27:37one night
27:38and she said
27:39that she was
27:40struggling to
27:40feed
27:40baby
27:41she was
27:41breastfeeding
27:43because that
27:44was another
27:44thing he said
27:45he didn't want
27:45his baby
27:46being bottle
27:46fed
27:48I said
27:48you've got
27:49some formula
27:49I said
27:50why don't you
27:50make a couple
27:51of bottles
27:51up
27:51let me
27:52take baby
27:53and you
27:53can get
27:54a night's
27:54sleep
27:54and he
27:55absolutely
27:56kicked off
27:59I remember
28:00him saying
28:00I'd be six
28:01foot under
28:01before I
28:02let anyone
28:02take my
28:02kid away
28:03from me
28:05you'd want
28:05the mother
28:06of your
28:06baby
28:06to have
28:07a rest
28:07you know
28:08and the
28:08offer was
28:09there
28:09the support
28:09was there
28:10but no
28:11he wouldn't
28:11allow us
28:11to do
28:12that
28:13and it's
28:14horrible
28:14leaving the
28:15house
28:16then knowing
28:16that we've
28:17probably
28:18caused
28:18an argument
28:18between
28:19them
28:19and you
28:20don't know
28:20what's
28:20going on
28:20behind
28:20that
28:21door
28:21now
28:21when you
28:21when you've
28:22left
28:27Bolton
28:27obviously
28:29loved the
28:30baby
28:30he loved
28:31his own
28:32child
28:33he loved
28:35his child
28:36almost to
28:37the exclusion
28:38of any
28:39consideration
28:40for anybody
28:41or anything
28:42else
28:44with him
28:45having
28:45having a
28:46baby
28:46he could
28:47control
28:48everything
28:48with that
28:49child
28:50I think
28:50it made
28:51him feel
28:51more
28:51powerful
28:52having
28:52a
28:52child
28:53this
28:53child
28:53was
28:54totally
28:54dependent
28:54on
28:55them
28:55and I
28:56think
28:56that's
28:57what
28:57he
28:57thrived
28:58on
28:58really
29:00now
29:01Bolton
29:01struggling
29:02and my
29:03feeling
29:03is
29:03that
29:04he's
29:04struggling
29:04with
29:04DJ
29:05the
29:06baby
29:06and
29:07obviously
29:07the
29:08household
29:16towards
29:17the end
29:17of October
29:182020
29:18Bolton
29:19turns up
29:20to health
29:21services
29:21he says
29:22what a
29:22violent
29:23person
29:23he is
29:26this
29:27is
29:27now
29:28the
29:28point
29:28where
29:29things
29:29continually
29:30start
29:31to be
29:31huge
29:32and
29:32high
29:33level
29:33risks
29:33that
29:34professionals
29:34should
29:34have
29:34picked
29:35up
29:35on
29:37this
29:38man
29:38is
29:38telling
29:38people
29:39how
29:39violent
29:39he
29:39is
29:40but
29:40they're
29:40two
29:41children
29:41one
29:41and
29:42eight
29:42week
29:42old
29:42baby
29:42within
29:43that
29:43household
29:45I
29:49think
29:50at
29:50this
29:50point
29:51it's
29:52an
29:52adult
29:52service
29:53dealing
29:54with
29:54him
29:54and
29:55not
29:55thinking
29:55wider
29:56about
29:56the
29:57situation
29:58that
29:58they
29:58live
29:59in
29:59what's
30:00the
30:00family
30:00like
30:01are
30:02there
30:02any
30:02children
30:02in
30:03there
30:04we
30:05had
30:05no
30:06idea
30:06no
30:07idea
30:07it's
30:08heartbreaking
30:09it
30:10really
30:10is
30:10heartbreaking
30:16Bethany
30:17had to
30:17move
30:18again
30:18because
30:18the
30:18house
30:19was
30:19renting
30:19had
30:20to
30:20be
30:20sold
30:24this
30:25place
30:25came
30:25up
30:25in
30:25Louth
30:26we
30:26had
30:26a
30:26look
30:26at
30:26it
30:27so
30:27she
30:27decided
30:28she
30:28wanted
30:28to
30:28move
30:29there
30:30I
30:30do
30:30think
30:30it
30:30was
30:31his
30:31idea
30:31I
30:32think
30:32he
30:32was
30:32trying
30:32to
30:32get
30:33her
30:33away
30:33from
30:33us
30:34trying
30:35to
30:35get
30:36her
30:36to
30:36move
30:36further
30:37away
30:37because
30:38we
30:38are
30:38quite
30:39close
30:39knit
30:40family
30:4240
30:42minute
30:42drive
30:43we
30:44wouldn't
30:44be
30:44able
30:44to
30:44get
30:44to
30:44her
30:45as
30:45quick
30:45as
30:45we
30:45could
30:45and
30:46it
30:46worried
30:47me
30:51massively
30:51so
30:52this
30:52house
30:53on
30:53the
30:53corner
30:54here
30:54is
30:55where
30:55Bethany
30:56moved
30:56to
30:56in
30:57November
30:572020
30:58she
30:58moved
30:59here
30:59with
30:59her
30:59two
30:59young
31:00boys
31:00she'd
31:01grown
31:01up
31:01in
31:02Chapel
31:02St
31:02Leonard's
31:03lived
31:03there
31:03a
31:03whole
31:03life
31:04so
31:04this
31:04wasn't
31:04an
31:04area
31:05she
31:05knew
31:05well
31:06Daniel
31:07Bolton
31:07wasn't
31:08living
31:09here
31:09with
31:09them
31:09but
31:10we
31:10know
31:10that
31:10he
31:10did
31:11visit
31:11on
31:12occasion
31:12he
31:13stayed
31:13over
31:13on
31:14the
31:14odd
31:14occasion
31:14and
31:15came
31:15to
31:15visit
31:15his
31:19it
31:20felt
31:20like
31:20when
31:21I
31:21was
31:21there
31:21that
31:22DJ
31:22was
31:22being
31:22pushed
31:23aside
31:24not
31:25through
31:25Bethany
31:26doing
31:26it
31:27but
31:27we
31:28felt
31:28like
31:28he
31:28was
31:29in
31:29his
31:29bedroom
31:29where
31:30everyone
31:30was
31:30downstairs
31:35did
31:35see him
31:35quite a few
31:36times
31:36but
31:37we
31:37didn't
31:38speak
31:38much
31:38he
31:38knew
31:38my
31:39thoughts
31:39on
31:39him
31:41and
31:41to
31:42be
31:42honest
31:42he
31:42just
31:43did
31:43not
31:43like
31:43me
31:44he
31:44made
31:44that
31:45quite
31:46clear
32:02Bolton
32:02now
32:03I think
32:03is moving
32:04her away
32:04from her
32:05family
32:05at this
32:06time
32:07she goes
32:08to hospital
32:08in early
32:09November
32:10and she
32:11says that
32:11she's fallen
32:12downstairs
32:15she
32:16needed to
32:16check out
32:17baby
32:17because
32:18I think
32:19he's
32:19hip
32:20so
32:20she
32:21went to
32:21the hospital
32:22got him
32:22checked out
32:23and everything
32:23was fine
32:24but we
32:25also noticed
32:26that Bethany
32:26had a few
32:27marks
32:28on her
32:30she
32:31never really
32:31lied
32:32but the way
32:32that she
32:33told the
32:33story
32:33I didn't
32:34believe
32:34it
32:36you should
32:37be able to
32:37put two
32:38and two
32:38together
32:38but
32:39it's kind
32:40of a bit
32:40of a denial
32:41as well
32:41it's like
32:41am I
32:42overthinking
32:42you know
32:43she's told
32:43me she's
32:44done this
32:44I should
32:45believe her
32:45so it's
32:46really hard
32:47sometimes
32:47it messes
32:48with you
32:53so DJ
32:54has a
32:55fantastic
32:56relationship
32:56with his
32:57school
32:57so much
32:58so that
32:59he's able
32:59to disclose
33:00at school
33:01the fact
33:02that Bolton
33:03pushed his
33:04mum down
33:04the stairs
33:07now the
33:08school
33:09just make
33:10a record
33:10of this
33:11at this
33:11time
33:12and they
33:13don't
33:13pass it
33:14on
33:14any
33:15further
33:17absolute
33:18procedure
33:19that should
33:19have taken
33:19place
33:20and the
33:20school
33:20will agree
33:21with me
33:21they should
33:22have let
33:23children's
33:23services
33:24know
33:24at that
33:25time
33:25because
33:25obviously
33:26there's
33:26a baby
33:26as well
33:27as DJ
33:28who needs
33:29help
33:29and support
33:33very quickly
33:34now
33:34it's going
33:35to be
33:35evident
33:36to her
33:36that it
33:37isn't
33:37a safe
33:38environment
33:40I've
33:40always
33:40blamed
33:41myself
33:41for this
33:43I should
33:43have
33:44been
33:44there
33:44but I
33:45would have
33:45protected
33:46if I was
33:47nearer
33:47if I knew
34:07what Daniel Bolton was thinking about as he made that 28 mile walk
34:14what he was planning to do as he made that 28 mile walk nobody knows
34:20Bethany didn't know Caroline didn't know the only person that knows is Daniel Bolton
34:27and he's never told us
34:36we didn't know about it straight away but Bethany had had an argument with him
34:42Bethany was holding baby
34:45and the argument turned physical
34:48and he pushed her up against the wall by her neck
34:53she hit her head on the wall and it knocked her unconscious while she was holding baby
35:01she went to the police
35:04he's arrested and he's taken into custody
35:08but what happens is that he is then conditionally bailed not to contact Bethany
35:16and within a week or so a social worker goes and visits Bethany and talks about safety plans
35:24and talks about how to keep the children and herself safe
35:29one of the key bits is that not just in this case but in all cases really
35:35is that we put a lot on the victim survivor
35:39in order for them to take steps to do things
35:42and I just think professionals could do a lot more
35:45to help them to understand their situation
35:50I wanted to go and see him and see what's going on
35:52but obviously every time that I did threaten to do that it was don't be silly
35:56I don't need hassle dad
35:58this guy's doing obviously something to her
36:01and she's lying for him
36:04but he was still doing it
36:10very soon after
36:11he turns up at the home
36:14so Bethany rings the police but he's now gone
36:18I try and get there as fast as I can and he's gone
36:21so it's like he's goading her
36:26it just shows that actually getting him to properly not contact her
36:31to properly separate isn't going to happen
36:35so is that fair on Bethany with two vulnerable children
36:40no it's not
36:46sorry it's getting me wound up
36:49but yeah I just wanted to be there all the time for her
36:59she come over and said that he suggests that we have DJ for three weeks
37:06and I'm like okay which worried me
37:10but we said we would
37:13but it's little things like that
37:15the clothes in the carrier bag weren't folded up
37:18you know when someone stuffs everything in a bag
37:20it was stuffed in a bag and everything
37:25I then thought he's trying to push DJ away
37:32keep going keep going
37:34and I think it got to nearly two weeks
37:38and DJ was asking you know
37:40when can I go to mummy's
37:43so I dropped him off at school one morning
37:45and went to Louth
37:47to Bethany's
37:48which she didn't know I was going to do that morning
37:51I said we need to talk about DJ coming home
37:55and he came in the kitchen
37:57and he was like what's up can't you handle that child
38:00and I'm like yes I can handle my grandson thank you
38:04no you can't it's an evil kid
38:06and he just flipped
38:12he'd thrown Bethany on the sofa
38:13threatening her hovering over her with his fists clenched
38:19so I ended up having to phone the police
38:21and then he started confronting me
38:24then when he heard that the police were going to come round
38:27that's when he threatened me and said
38:29I will have you
38:30he says it might be a day, a week, a month
38:32he says but I will have you
38:36he ran off then
38:38so we thought that's it
38:39he's got no cover now
38:41he's not going to show up now
38:45and that's what we thought
39:03he knew full well what he was doing
39:14shortly after this
39:16on the 12th of December
39:18he's seen outside a home address
39:21police are called
39:22and what do they do?
39:24don't breach him for breaching his bail
39:26they take him back to his home address
39:29but for me
39:31that's harassment isn't it?
39:33he is there outside
39:35and so I think a different action should have been taken
39:38in my view he should now be in custody
39:50the more he behaved in a harassing or stalking way towards her
39:56the more she withdrew from wanting him to have contact with the child
40:02so all around this period
40:04Bolton is starting to spin very much out of control
40:09and he goes to his GP
40:11and he's threatening the GP
40:15this violent man is telling professionals
40:18he's being arrested
40:19he's threatening Bethany
40:21he's threatening her mother
40:22so a very violent man is showing out to everybody
40:27we had no idea
40:29no idea
40:30we were still under the impression
40:32it just served
40:33that time in prison for a fight
40:41so on the 3rd of January
40:43just into 2021
40:45he turns up again
40:48DJ's dad brings DJ back
40:50and he threatens Kieran
40:51the police come
40:53and he's arrested
40:54and he's kept in custody overnight
41:06on the 12th of January
41:07he goes to court
41:09and he's given a restraining order
41:13there's no custody time
41:15there's no threats of a suspended sentence
41:18in my view there should have been
41:21the risks that were being posed to Bethany
41:24and her children
41:25were starting to be huge
41:30Bolton was clearly not very far away
41:33it always feels so tragic
41:37going through that timeline
41:39of the last known movements
41:41literally as a countdown to tragedy
41:47and you can see what's coming
42:12you don't believe what they're saying to you
42:16he thinks he's Jason Wong
42:17and he thinks he's not
42:21and then I just thought
42:22oh my god what about the boys
42:24where's the boys
42:25where's the boys
42:28my life just went
42:31you want to wake up
42:32because you think
42:33no this is a horrible nightmare
42:35but you don't wake up
42:37you don't wake up
42:37you don't wake up
42:38you don't wake up
42:40you don't wake up
42:42you don't wake up
42:50you don't wake up
42:51you don't wake up
42:53you don't wake up
42:54you don't wake up
42:55you don't wake up
42:56you don't wake up
42:56you don't wake up
42:56you don't wake up
42:56you don't wake up
42:56you don't wake up
42:56you don't wake up
42:56you don't wake up
42:59you don't wake up
43:00you don't wake up
43:06You
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