Heir to £230m pie fortune charged with murder after housemate was ‘stabbed 12 times in neck’

The 23-year-old has been charged with the murder of his best friend William Bush, also 23, in the home they shared in Llandaff, Cardiff, which was owned by Thomas' grandfather.

Bush had allegedly been stabbed in the neck 12 times on the morning of Christmas Eve.

Neighbours heard screams that morning, with a female friend of the pair calling in and finding the horrifying scene.

Detectives and forensic officers then arrived on the scene, spending two weeks examining the situation.

Friends and family, as well as local residents, proceeded to leave flowers at the scene.

A worker at the florist shop next door said: "It looked like she had found the man with knife wounds and tried to save him. Her hands were covered in blood.

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"The next thing there were police everywhere and I saw a man on the floor with two officers on top of him."

The pair had become friends when they were both pupils at Christ College in Brecon, Wales, where Bush's dad, David, is deputy head.

They had moved into the £425,000 property two years ago, with Thomas moving in first, before Bush joined him shortly after.

Tributes have poured in for Bush, who worked as a surveyor with a commercial property company.

In a statement, his family, dad John, mum Elizabeth, sister Catrin and brother Alexander, 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."

Thomas was due to appear at Cardiff Crown Court earlier this month on January 2 but refused to enter the dock.

He was remanded in custody in his absence and is due to appear before the court again on February 2.