Llandaff murder trial: Man convicted of murder

On Christmas Eve 2023, Dylan Thomas fatally stabbed his best friend William Bush at a house they shared in Llandaff, Cardiff.

The night before, Thomas had been out for a family meal in Miskin, Llantrisant. When he returned to his grandmother’s home in Rhoose in the Vale of Glamorgan, he began a Snapchat conversation with William into the early hours of the morning.

While texting his best friend, he was also searching the internet for veins, arteries, anatomy, and assisted suicide.

The text conversation resumed around 11am on Christmas Eve while Thomas was being driven from Rhoose to Llandaff by his grandmother, under the pretence that he needed to check on his dog.

Thomas entered the house and stabbed William multiple times. He then rang for an ambulance while a witness in the nearby car park rang police.

Thomas was arrested at the scene.

He pleaded guilty to manslaughter but denied murder.

Following a trial at Cardiff Crown Court in November 2024, Thomas was convicted of his murder.

Statement from the family of William Bush:

"As a family, we are relieved to hear today’s verdict of murder. Firstly, we would like to thank the police, the CPS, Mr Bull KC and Mr Wright for all of their work and support over the last 11 months and are thankful that all of this hard work has led to the correct verdict today.
"My family have been completely devastated by the brutal and senseless murder of our much-loved Will. Words cannot describe the impact this has had on our family however it is not just us who have lost a son and a brother, but Will’s girlfriend, friends and extended family have also lost someone who they loved very much.
"Will was innocently getting ready to return back to Brecon to spend Christmas with us all when the attack took place and instead of Will arriving at our door for dinner on Christmas Eve, it was Dyfed-Powys Police to deliver the beyond-devastating news. We cannot even begin to comprehend the fear and suffering that Will endured on Christmas Eve last year and we will have to live with the hurt, grief, anger and upset for the rest of our lives.
"Dylan Thomas is an evil, manipulative liar. Throughout this process we have seen no evidence of any remorse or taking responsibility for his actions that day. We can only hope that he will never be released back into the community. As a family, we have found the whole legal process incredibly distressing, so much so that my parents have found it too utterly unbearable to attend any of the trial. The process has also focused heavily on Dylan Thomas and his mental state which has been incredibly difficult to sit through when he is the person who planned and murdered our beloved Will and has taken away his voice and bright future.
"Will was such a loyal, funny, caring and trusting person. He lit up every room he walked in to with his cheeky grin and quick-witted humour. Will was a very talented golfer and spent much of his free time on the course with his brother Alex. He had a large group of friends who have been so supportive to our family throughout this difficult time. We would like to thank all of those individuals, along with our wider family and friends who have shown nothing but kindness and empathy over the last 11 months. 
"We know that Will was excited for his future with his girlfriend Ella, and they were planning on moving in together. This has all tragically been taken away from Will, who had his whole life ahead of him, but we ask that he is remembered as the great person he was, and his memory is not defined by this barbaric attack."

Senior Investigating Officer Detective Inspector Rebecca Merchant said:

“William Bush was a much-loved son, brother and boyfriend with a bright future ahead of him which included moving in with his girlfriend and starting a new job.
“On December 24, 2023, as he looked forward to spending Christmas with his family and girlfriend, he was killed by someone he regarded as his friend having done nothing to warrant the brutal violence inflicted upon him.
“Our thoughts today, as they have been throughout the investigation, are with William, his family and girlfriend and whilst we welcome today’s verdict we recognise that nothing will ever bring William back or take away the heartbreak felt by those who loved him the most.
“I would like to pay tribute to the professionalism of police officers and emergency service colleagues who tried their best to help him.
“I am grateful to the community of Llandaff for their support during the investigation as well as expert witnesses who provided evidence in this case.
“And finally I wish to thank the team of detectives and police staff who have worked tirelessly on this investigation together with the Crown Prosecution Service and Prosecution Counsel. The efforts of all involved have contributed to today’s outcome.”