The fracture behaviour of layered rocks is strongly influenced by bedding planes, which usually have lower strength than rock matrix. In this study, experimental and numerical fracture toughness tests were conducted on cracked straight through Brazilian disc (CSTBD) specimens with a prefabricated crack to study the bedding plane properties on the fracture behaviour. Experimental studies were mainly focused on the influence of the bedding plane-loading angle on the fracture load, fracture toughness and fracture pattern. With increasing bedding plane-loading angle, the fracture load continuously increased, the main crack initiation position transformed from the prefabricated crack tip to a certain distance from the prefabricated crack tip, Mode I and effective fracture toughness continuously decreased, and Mode II fracture toughness first increased and then decreased when the prefabricated crack was parallel to the bedding plane. When the prefabricated crack was perpendicular to the bedding plane, the fracture load increased as a whole, the main crack initiation position transformed from a certain distance from the prefabricated crack tip to the prefabricated crack tip, the Mode I fracture toughness first slightly decreased and then continuously increased, the Mode II fracture toughness first increased and then decreased, and the effective fracture toughness increased as a whole with increasing bedding plane-loading angle. A numerical model based on cohesive elements was developed to reveal how the bedding plane strength primarily influences the fracture pattern, and the percentage of shear cracks and tensile cracks. When the prefabricated crack was parallel to the bedding plane, the main crack type was identical under each bedding plane strength. When the prefabricated crack was perpendicular to the bedding plane, the main crack initiation position transformed to the prefabricated crack tip with increasing bedding plane strength. With increasing bedding plane strength, the percentage of shear cracks decreased, and the corresponding percentage of tensile cracks increased as a whole for both position relations.