An heir to a £230m pie fortune killed his best friend on Christmas Eve in a horrific stabbing at their shared home after he revealed he wanted to move out to be with his new girlfriend, a murder trial heard today.
Millionaire’s grandson Dylan Thomas, 24, stabbed housemate William Bush, 23, who was found with multiple wounds to his neck and body at their shared home.
Thomas – the grandson of pie and property tycoon Sir Stanley Thomas and the heir to a £230million fortune – admitted manslaughter over William’s death but denied murder.
Talented golfer William Bush was found dead on Christmas Eve close a string of popular boutique shops packed with shoppers.
The jury heard “only true friend” William was due to spend Christmas Eve with his girlfriend Ella Jeffries – and was planning to move in with her in the New Year.
Thomas being described as “lonely” on a visit to his grandmother. His grandmother drove him back home in the early hours – and then “screams of horror” were heard coming from their shared house.
Prosecutor Greg Bull said Thomas then murdered his housemate in his bedroom after stabbing him multiple times.
He said: “He entered through the kitchen where he armed himself with a large kitchen knife and a black lock knife or flick knife. He then proceeded to go up the two staircases and into the room of William Bush. Mr Bush was attacked from behind, probably with the flick knife, as Mr Bush was sat or stood near to a beanbag.
“He was stabbed at least once to the back of the neck. The attack caused Mr Bush to flee for his life down to the ground floor. There was to follow repeated stabs at Mr Bush from Thomas to the back of the neck, his head, the front of the neck, and his chest.
“Further it is clear that Dylan Thomas used the kitchen knife to stab Mr Bush in the chest and cut his throat severing the major artery in the neck, as a result of which Mr Bush bled to death.”
The court that around 12.36am before the killing, Thomas carried out a search on his computer for an image on the anatomy of the neck.
Mr Bull KC said: “The prosecution submit that this was a factor indicating that at this stage Dylan Thomas intended to attack and kill William Bush. We will never know the real reason for his intention or the real reason for carrying out the computer search that he did.”
The court heard Thomas suffered wounds to his hands which may have been from Mr Bush trying to defend himself.
Mr Bull said: “Mr Bush was trying to escape from Mr Thomas who pursued him out of his bedroom, down two flights of stairs, through the kitchen, and outside into the patio where Mr Bush collapsed after he sustained a fatal laceration to an artery in his neck.”
The court heard Thomas’ attitude towards William had changed due to his romance with Ella. Mr Bull said: “In October to November 2023 Mr Bush told Ella that there had been an occasion when Mr Thomas said to Mr Bush: ‘I thought and/or wondered about killing you’.
“These remarks were taken seriously by Mr Bush who told Ella that that night he had barricaded his bedroom door to prevent Mr Thomas entering the bedroom whilst he was asleep.”
Mr Bull said their friendship changed after William met girlfriend Ella Jeffries – and planned to move in with her instead.
He said: “Before Mr Bush met Ella Jeffries the two men spent a great deal of time together. They would play golf together, they would go out together in the evening, and Mr Bush would support Mr Thomas in every way that he could. He would regularly drive Mr Thomas to any place that he wished to go as Mr Thomas could not drive.
“In short, Mr Thomas relied heavily on his friendship and the time spent with Mr Bush. The dynamics of the relationship between the two men were changing in the period leading up to Christmas 2023. Firstly Mr Bush was spending more and more of his time with Ella, with whom his relationship was blossoming.
“Mr Bush and Ella had decided to seek a home of their own together in the New Year.”
The pair met as schoolboys at £13,000-a-term Christ College, Brecon, where they were both students. On leaving school William went on to university. Thomas was offered a place but did not take this up.
Mr Bull said: “Mr Bush was a loving son, brother, partner, and friend. He was well-loved by all who knew him. He was by nature a quiet and passive man who shied away from confrontation. He was fit and muscular and at the time of his death was 14st and five foot eight inches. He was athletic, a keen golfer, and on occasion played golf for his county.
“He worked as a surveyor in this city but left his job due to stress and ill health but was looking forward to the new year. He had found a new job and was looking to set up home with his partner Ella Jeffries.”
Thomas was described as having very few friends and was “regarded as something of a loner”.
Mr Bull said: “His grandmother described him as a quiet person. His only real friend was the deceased. They would holiday together with Dylan and his family. Dylan and the deceased were not only housemates but good friends. The defendant relied heavily on Mr Bush for support. Mr Thomas was of solid build compared to Mr Bush and by far the stronger of the two men.”
The pair shared the house called Ty Matthew owned by Dylan Thomas’ wealthy grandparents – with William normally paying monthly rent. But he was not required to pay rent until he found work after quitting his job.
Mr Bull said: “However, Mr Bush was far from financial difficulties as he had very substantial savings and had taken out a loan for £10,000. Whilst the two men shared the facilities of the house Mr Bush had exclusive use of his bedroom. Each man catered for and cleared up after himself. To this extent they were independent of each other.”
Police immediately performed CPR after finding Mr Bush injured in Chapel Street car park next to the city’s landmark Llandaff Cathedral. Paramedics arrived and Williams was taken two miles to the University Hospital of Wales. But he never recovered.
A post-mortem examination carried out by Dr Richard Jones at the University Hospital of Wales recorded cause of death as multiple stab wounds to the neck and trunk.
William’s family — English teacher father John, 61, mother Elizabeth, 63, sister Catrin and brother Alexander — have paid tribute to the keen rugby player and golfer. The family, who live in Brecon, South Wales, said: “Our beloved Will was taken away from us in such a cruel and indescribable way. Will was such a loyal, funny and caring son, brother and boyfriend.”
The pair were regarded as best friends and moved into together in a terraced house jointly owned by Thomas’ grandparents and Welsh rugby great Sir Gareth Edwards.
Thomas, a computer programmer, is the grandson of Sir Stanley Thomas, 82, who was knighted in 2006 for his charity work and services to business. His father, also called Stanley Thomas, started selling meat pies in Merthyr Tydfil in the Welsh Valleys. The business, Peter’s Savoury Products, was sold for £75million in 1988.
His family also owned a fifth share of the TBI group, which owned several airports, including Cardiff. The prosecution said his not guilty plea to murder wase not acceptable to the Crown. Mr Bull said Thomas claimed that at the time of the killing that he was suffering from “abnormality of mind”.
The defence claims Thomas did not have rational judgement about whether what he was doing was right or wrong. But that is not accepted by the prosecution.
A jury of 10 men and two women were today sworn in and released for the day by Judge Karen Steyn after her opening remarks.
The trial, estimated to last two weeks, continues.
