Grandmother Regrets Driving Grandson to Scene of Fatal Stabbing, Court Hears

A court has been informed that the grandmother of a man who fatally stabbed his best friend on Christmas Eve expressed regret for having driven him to the residence where the incident occurred. Dylan Thomas, aged 24, has pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of William Bush, 23, in 2023, but maintains a not guilty plea to murder. Sharon Burton’s police interview was presented to the jury during the second day of proceedings at Cardiff Crown Court. She informed officers that she consented to transport her grandson from her Rhoose, Vale of Glamorgan, residence to the Chapel Street property in Llandaff, Cardiff, which he shared with Mr Bush, as he wished to check on his dog, Bruce. Mrs Burton recounted that during the drive, Mr Thomas appeared “agitated” and dispatched multiple text messages. She then parked her vehicle outside the premises and initiated a phone call while Mr Thomas entered the house. According to the prosecution, Mr Thomas subsequently armed himself with two knives, ascended two flights of stairs to Mr Bush’s bedroom, and stabbed him in the back of the neck. Mr Bush suffered a total of 37 stab wounds. Mrs Burton informed detectives that she was startled by Mr Thomas appearing outside her car, where he was “banging on the window and he was covered in blood.” She further stated, “He was in such a state. Screaming. Screaming. He kept saying. ‘I think he’s dead’.” She recounted, “I handed the phone to Dylan and said: ‘Phone the police, phone the ambulance’. It felt like an age before I heard the sirens.” Mrs Burton discovered a wounded Mr Bush on the patio and commenced administering CPR. She stated, “I thought Will was still alive, his eyes were open… I prayed he was going to be OK and I didn’t stop.” During the video interview, she became tearful, stating: “I should never have taken him.” The interviewing police officer advised her against self-blame. She remarked, “I never in a million years envisaged anything like that with Dylan because he’s such a quiet reserved boy.” Subsequently, Mrs Burton provided her testimony via videolink from a separate room within the court building. During cross-examination by Orlando Pownall KC, representing the defence, Mrs Burton recounted a conversation with her grandson earlier in December regarding teleportation. She commented, “Which I didn’t really understand,” and added that he also mentioned witches. She further stated, “He asked did we believe in illuminati. He was right into it, silly things.” She concluded, “It was a very strange conversation.” A pre-recorded video interview featuring John Ivins, who was having coffee with his family in Llandaff at the time William Bush was killed, was also presented to the jury. In the interview, he stated, “We heard someone shouting ‘help me’.” He elaborated, “It sounded serious. Not being nosy it sounded like someone was in trouble.” He recounted observing a man on all fours, a significant amount of blood, and another individual positioned in the property’s French windows. Mr Ivins remarked, “They seemed to get up and scuffle.” He added, “I probably didn’t believe what I saw. “I didn’t expect to see a pool of blood and someone with a knife.” Footage from police body-worn cameras was also exhibited to the jury. The footage depicted officers placing Mr Thomas into the rear of a police van. He was then examined for injuries and to ascertain if he possessed any weapons. Mr Thomas instructed officers to monitor the house, asserting that the last time he had contact with the police, “they planted coke,” he stated. Upon being informed by officers that he was being arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, he claimed it was “self-defence.” The trial remains ongoing.