Ex-pupil threatened to 'cut and stab' students and staff in YouTube video

An ex-student posted a video on YouTube threatening to kill students and staff at his college.

Oliver Beynon, 21, admitted a charge of sending communication threatening death or serious harm to those at The College Merthyr Tydfil.

He was sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court on Wednesday to six months in prison suspended for 18 months.

Beynon, from Fochriw in Caerphilly, was arrested on 31 August after his dad told police he was worried about a video his son had posted online.

The court heard the defendant's dad told officers his son, who has autism, was bullied at the college while studying a life skills course.

At sentencing, a video was played that showed him wearing a college-branded face mask and a white fedora hat.

He called himself "The Welshman" and threatened to "cut, stab and slice" people at the college.

Several other videos, which had not been posted on YouTube, were discovered on his mobile phone.

Prosecutor Byron Broadstock said the video, which had been viewed online more than 2,500 times, caused "panic and upset" in the college community.

He said the defendant had admitted his guilt at the first opportunity and regretted making the videos.

"He said he heard voices in his head telling him to make the video. He also said he had been bullied at [the college] and received death threats," he added.

Judge Recorder Christian Jowett ordered Beynon to undergo a mental health supervision order and excluded him from the college for a period of 18 months.