Defendant accepts teacher was terrified and that a knife wound to the head could kill, but denies deliberately attacking her

A TEENAGE boy accused of attempting to murder a Milford Haven teacher has told a jury that she was lying when she said he deliberately stabbed her in the head.

The 16-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, returned to the witness box at Swansea Crown Court on Tuesday (Jul 14), where he was cross-examined by the prosecution.

The boy, who was 15 at the time of the incident, denies attempting to murder history teacher Vicki Williams at Milford Haven School on February 5.

He also denies wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and unlawful wounding. He has admitted possessing a knife on school premises.

The prosecution alleges that the defendant took a large kitchen knife into school as part of a planned attack on Mrs Williams.

The teenager maintains that he brought the knife from home to show off to his friends and that Mrs Williams was injured accidentally during a struggle over the weapon.

During cross-examination, the defendant said he had liked Mrs Williams and denied that he and his friends had been bullying or deliberately targeting her.

The jury was taken back to an incident two days before the alleged attack, when another pupil kicked and damaged the door of Mrs Williams’ classroom.

The defendant described that incident as “horrible”, although he accepted that CCTV showed members of the group laughing afterwards.

He denied suggestions that the group had planned to damage the door or had targeted Mrs Williams because she was a female teacher.

The court heard that the defendant had refused to attend a lesson on February 4, leading the school to contact his mother.

He accepted that his mother had been furious with his behaviour and had taken away his phone as part of his punishment.

The following morning, the defendant said, he went into the kitchen after his mother had gone upstairs and placed a large knife inside the second compartment of his school bag.

He denied taking the weapon because he intended to attack Mrs Williams.

The teenager said he had wanted to show the knife to his friends together, rather than telling them about it individually.

He accepted that the weapon remained concealed inside his bag throughout the school day and that he did not want teachers or other pupils, apart from his friends, to see it.

The prosecution suggested that the knife had been deliberately hidden because it was intended for an attack.

The defendant denied that allegation.

The jury was shown CCTV footage of the teenager walking around the school towards the end of the day and approaching the area of Mrs Williams’ classroom before turning away.

The prosecution suggested he had been waiting for other pupils to leave and had been gathering the courage to carry out the attack.

The defendant denied this, saying he had initially walked away because the classroom lights were off and he did not want to wait outside.

When he later entered Mrs Williams’ classroom, the defendant said he had been searching through his bag when the teacher saw the knife.

Mrs Williams has previously told the court that the pupil deliberately stabbed her in the head and had an expression of “pure hatred” on his face.

Asked whether the teacher was telling the truth about being stabbed, the defendant replied that she was lying.

He also rejected her account that she had been standing when he entered the room and denied circling around her before the alleged attack.

The defendant maintained that Mrs Williams tried to take the knife from him and that her injuries must have been caused during the struggle.

He accepted that she had grabbed the blade of the knife and had been screaming loudly.

Asked why he did not simply release the weapon once she had hold of it, the teenager replied: “I didn’t want to get into trouble.”

The prosecution put it to him that he had deliberately stabbed Mrs Williams in the head and that she had fought for her life.

He repeatedly denied doing so.

The defendant accepted that Mrs Williams had been terrified and that stabbing someone in the head with the knife could cause serious injury or death.

He denied a suggestion that he fled only because the teacher’s screams had caused him to panic before he could continue the alleged attack.

The teenager said he left the school because he was in shock and went to his grandmother’s home.

The jury heard that he answered “no comment” during his subsequent police interviews.

He said he had been unable to remember what had happened immediately after the incident and that his memory returned several weeks later while he was being held in a secure unit.

The prosecution suggested that he had remained silent because he had not yet devised the account he would later give to the jury.

He denied making up his evidence.

In a final series of questions, the prosecution alleged that the teenager had taken the knife to school specifically to attack Mrs Williams and had intended to kill her.

The defendant answered “no” to each allegation.

His cross-examination then concluded, with the defence indicating that it had no further questions.

The trial continues.

Magistrates found Robert Hedley placed the opposing player in a headlock before jumping on his back and gouging his eyes

A LETTERSTON footballer has been found guilty of assaulting an opposing player during a match at St Clears last summer.

Following a two-day trial at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court, Robert Hedley, aged 42, was convicted of assaulting Liam Morley-Trivett and causing him actual bodily harm.

The court heard that Hedley, of Wesley Way, Spittal, grabbed Mr Morley-Trivett in a headlock before jumping onto his back and gouging at his eyes.

Mr Morley-Trivett suffered injuries including blurred vision as a result of the assault.

Delivering the verdict, the presiding magistrate said the defence had provided differing accounts of what happened and where the two players had been positioned on the pitch.

By contrast, the magistrates found the prosecution witnesses had given credible and consistent accounts of Hedley jumping onto Mr Morley-Trivett’s back and gouging his eyes.

“We are satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that the defendant caused the injuries and, as a result, we find him guilty,” the magistrate said.

Hedley will be sentenced on Thursday, July 16, after magistrates requested an all-options pre-sentence report from the probation service.

He was released on conditional bail, with the requirement that he cooperate with probation ahead of sentencing.

Man, 28, re-arrested under terrorism legislation after new evidence emerges in former minister’s suspected murder

COUNTER-TERRORISM officers have taken control of the investigation into the death of former government minister Ann Widdecombe following the discovery of new information and evidence.

A 28-year-old man from Rotherham, South Yorkshire, who was initially arrested on suspicion of murder on Saturday, has now been re-arrested on suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism.

Police stressed that investigators are continuing to examine several possible lines of enquiry and have not publicly established a motive.

Miss Widdecombe, aged 78, was found dead at her home in Haytor, Devon, after emergency services were called shortly before midday on Thursday, July 9.

Officers said she had suffered serious injuries, prompting the launch of a murder investigation and a major police operation stretching from Devon to South Yorkshire.

The suspect was arrested at an address in Rotherham shortly after 9.00pm on Saturday, July 11. Specialist counter-terrorism officers had already been working alongside Devon and Cornwall Police before formally taking the lead in the case.

Counter Terrorism Policing South East said the change followed developments during what it described as a complex and rapidly moving investigation.

Laurence Taylor, head of National Counter Terrorism Policing, said officers were working urgently to determine what motivated the attack.

He said specialist resources from across the counter-terrorism network were now being deployed and appealed for anyone with relevant information to contact police.

The development represents a significant change from the position outlined by Devon and Cornwall Police over the weekend, when officers said there was nothing at that stage to suggest the death was connected to terrorism or politically motivated.

Police had also urged politicians and members of the public not to speculate while detectives continued their work.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood updated MPs in the House of Commons on Monday, confirming that counter-terrorism officers were now leading the investigation.

She said the suspect was not previously known to Prevent, the Government programme intended to identify and support people considered vulnerable to radicalisation.

The Home Secretary described Miss Widdecombe as a forthright and fearless figure and said her death had raised wider questions about the security of politicians and others involved in public life.

She said guidance would be issued to MPs and confirmed that former Lord Chancellor Sir Robert Buckland had been asked to examine lessons arising from the murder of Conservative MP Sir David Amess in 2021.

The Government has also offered Reform UK leader Nigel Farage a meeting with officials responsible for assessing protection for prominent public figures.

Police believe Miss Widdecombe was attacked at around 12.30pm on Wednesday, July 8. Her body was discovered the following morning after concerns were raised about her welfare.

A separate 26-year-old man arrested during the early stages of the investigation was later released and is no longer connected with the enquiry.

Miss Widdecombe served as Conservative MP for Maidstone and later Maidstone and The Weald between 1987 and 2010.

She held several ministerial positions during Sir John Major’s government, including roles at the Home Office, and later became shadow home secretary.

After leaving Westminster, she became widely known for television appearances including Strictly Come Dancing and Celebrity Big Brother.

She returned to frontline politics in 2019 when she joined the Brexit Party and was elected as a member of the European Parliament for South West England. She later became a prominent Reform UK spokeswoman.

Political leaders from across the parties have paid tribute to Miss Widdecombe, while around 40 people attended a vigil near her Dartmoor home on Sunday.

Police continue to appeal for information and have warned that the fact counter-terrorism officers are leading the investigation does not establish any particular ideology, political connection or motive.

No charge has been brought and the investigation remains ongoing.