He took a steak knife out of his pocket and said to his girlfriend “is it you, me or both”

“The youngest bus driver in the country” has been sent to a young offenders’ institute.

Kaylum Weaver brandished a steak knife during an argument with his girlfriend and made the chilling threat that “you’re going to go tonight”. A judge told her yesterday that “very serious consequences could have followed” after she armed herself and urged her to “drop the charges” against him in relation to an earlier incident.

Liverpool Crown Court heard on Monday that the 20-year-old had been with his partner Nikita Clark for around two years before his depression “put a strain on the relationship”. She met Weaver, of Beechill Close in Gateacre, on the evening of April 10 this year but returned home and blocked his phone number as he was said to be ‘looking for a fight’.

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Derek Jones, prosecuting, described how Ms Clark then received around 30 calls from a withheld number before seeing him outside her address later that night, leaving her car tires flat before being driven by a friend. He was arrested following this incident, but was later released on bail with conditions not to contact his now estranged girlfriend.

However, on April 20, Weaver called and texted the 23-year-old, urging her to “drop the charges against him.” He also told her that he had changed her vehicle’s logbook details to add himself as the owner.

Ms Clark then visited the defendant at his home address and the couple began talking outside in her car. Weaver “kept asking her to drop the charges,” but she refused and asked him out.

But he responded by pulling a steak knife from his coat pocket and saying, “You’re going tonight. It’s you, me, or both.”

Ms Clark recorded their conversation and Weaver was captured adding: “Leave the bail conditions but drop the case. I’m going to finish now.”

Lionel Greig, defending, told the court his client suffered from mental health problems following the death of his grandfather in autumn 2023 and said: “This is a young man who was struggling with his emotions. He is clearly not proud of his actions. .

“The defendant accepts that what he did was wrong. He shouldn’t have acted the way he did.

“This is a man with no previous convictions and who has never been in trouble with the criminal justice system before. There are clearly issues to be addressed.”

Weaver admitted to making threats to kill, making threats with a bladed article, witnessing intimidation and stalking. He was jailed for 16 months and given a five-year restraining order.

Sentencing, Recorder David Knifton KC said: “The relationship has really come under strain following the death of your grandfather, which appears to have exacerbated the mental health problems you suffered from. She became concerned about your behavior, which became increasingly manipulative.

“I am told that at the time you were the youngest bus driver in the country. You are described as a smart, driven and decent young man and a high academic who chose not to go to university and look for a job instead.

“You are considered to be emotionally immature. Your conduct of taking a knife from home to meet her was carefully planned and deeply manipulative.

“Although you express remorse, you sought to minimize your actions and blame the victim. You were clearly under the influence of alcohol and in possession of a knife and very serious unintended consequences could have followed.”

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