Court Hears Murder Accused Experienced Psychosis for Months

A court has been informed that an individual accused of killing his closest friend on Christmas Eve had been experiencing psychosis for a period extending “up to six months before the event”. Dylan Thomas, aged 24, has pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of William Bush, 23, which occurred at their shared residence in Llandaff on 24 December 2023, but he has entered a not guilty plea to the charge of murder. A forensic psychiatrist, who is providing treatment to Mr Thomas for schizophrenia at Ashworth High Secure Hospital, testified at Cardiff Crown Court that he was of the opinion Mr Thomas had been psychotic for several months prior to the stabbing of his best friend. Testimony presented to the court indicated that Mr Thomas held the belief he possessed the ability to harness gravity and informed law enforcement that he was “exploring energy fields” when apprehended for scaling a fence at Buckingham Palace on 6 November 2023. Dr. Panchu Xavier informed the jurors that his patient was experiencing psychosis upon his admission to Ashworth in March 2024. He further stated that Mr Thomas remained under treatment and was receiving anti-psychotic medication. “It has improved but he’s not completely free of symptoms,” Dr. Xavier stated. Dr. Xavier mentioned that Mr. Thomas’s family observed alterations in his behaviour during the months preceding the killing, though these changes were not of a nature that most individuals would identify as indicators of psychosis. “He did say things that were odd,” he remarked, adding that “it wouldn’t have been obvious to lay people that he was psychotic”. The court was informed that Mr. Thomas and William Bush first met at Christ College in Brecon, Powys, and had maintained their friendship since their school days. Gregory Bull KC, the prosecuting barrister, noted that while Mr. Bush was well-liked, Mr. Thomas had a limited number of friends and was generally perceived as somewhat of a loner. Dr. Xavier had discussed Mr. Thomas’s arrest on 6 November 2023 with him, and Mr. Thomas explained that he had acted “because he was trying to explore energy fields between Buckingham Palace and Cleopatra’s Needle”. A police officer testified that he rugby-tackled Mr. Thomas to the ground, having recognized that Mr. Thomas was unwell, and did so to prevent him from being shot. It was revealed in court that, subsequent to his arrest, Mr. Thomas did not comprehend the seriousness of his actions and asked police: “I’m over now, do you mind showing me round the palace anyway?” Dr. Xavier stated that Mr. Thomas now “acknowledges that it was a silly thing to do”. The court was also informed that Mr. Thomas believed he possessed the capability to harness gravity and had written to Elon Musk, asserting that “once you solve gravity, you can solve everything else”. Defence barrister Orlando Pownall KC commented that there was no doubt Mr. Thomas was psychotic, but the point of contention was “as to what time was there an area of psychosis”. Mr. Pownall informed the court that his client had experienced “a lot of stressful situations,” including his parents’ separation and “alleged domestic violence.” Dr. Xavier indicated that Mr. Thomas had no reported psychiatric history, though there was a mention of a maternal grandparent suffering from mental illness. He also stated that the defendant had previously used LSD and cannabis, but he did not believe that alcohol or drugs contributed to the events of 24 December 2023. Furthermore, the court was informed that Mr. Thomas’s phone contained searches related to the anatomy of the neck, arteries, veins, and Dignitas, an organization offering assisted dying services in Switzerland. During his testimony, Dr. Xavier stated that Mr. Thomas had expressed a desire to end his own life and had also researched information about psychiatric wards in Cardiff. “He was either thinking he wanted to end his life or get help,” he commented. Mr. Thomas recounted to the psychiatrist that he had gone upstairs, discovered Mr. Bush armed with a knife, succeeded in disarming him, and subsequently stabbed him repeatedly in “self-defence.” “My belief is he is describing what he believes happened,” he stated. In concluding his testimony, Dr. Xavier affirmed: “My view is very clear in my report, that he was psychotic before and I have no doubt he has schizophrenia.” Mr. Thomas maintains his denial of the murder charge, and the trial is ongoing.