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.

Solvent wind-down will end nearly 11 years of light aircraft engineering and support, with hangar operations stopping in August

A SPECIALIST Pembrokeshire aviation company has announced that it is to close its Haverfordwest Airport operation after directors concluded that it was no longer commercially viable.

Metal Seagulls Ltd confirmed on Monday (July 13) that it will begin a voluntary and solvent wind-down, bringing nearly 11 years of light aircraft engineering, fabrication and builder support to an end.

The company expects to suspend operations from its airport hangar at the end of August, with its machinery, tooling and production equipment now being offered for sale.

Metal Seagulls stressed that the decision was not the result of insolvency and that the business would be closed in an orderly manner over the coming months.

Directors said the decision followed a detailed examination of operating costs, together with personal challenges which had affected the company’s ability to continue running its workshops in their current form.

Jonathan Porter, director of Metal Seagulls Ltd, said: “We are sad to see Metal Seagulls close its hangar doors after nearly eleven years of service, but it is the right decision with the economic and personal challenges faced by the company and its directors at this time.”

Mr Porter suffered a leg injury in 2025 and continues to experience mobility problems. The company said this had prevented him from providing significant physical support to the workshops during the past nine months.

Fellow director Patricia Porter said the decision had not been taken lightly.

“This has not been an easy decision, but after a thorough review of our cost base, the directors believe it is the right one for the business,” she said.

“We are grateful to our customers, suppliers and the wider light aviation community for their support over the years, and we intend to work closely with clients during the wind-down to keep disruption to a minimum, ensuring where possible ongoing support as applicable.”

Founded in 2016, Metal Seagulls has operated from Haverfordwest Airport since 2021.

The family-run company has supplied parts, engineering services, CNC production, custom fabrication and practical support to aircraft builders, manufacturers and specialist operators.

Its customers and programmes have extended far beyond Pembrokeshire, reaching across the UK, Ireland, Iceland, the Falkland Islands and parts of Africa.

The company has also worked to encourage young people and under-represented groups to consider careers in aviation and engineering. It previously hosted public events and educational visits at its Haverfordwest workshops.

Its closure will therefore represent the loss of a distinctive specialist engineering and aviation presence at the airport.

A substantial collection of manufacturing machinery is now available for sale, including a Kimla CNC routing, milling and cutting system and a 120-tonne Morgan Rushworth CNC press brake used to produce specialist light aircraft components.

The production equipment can be sold separately or as an established light aviation fabrication cell, potentially accompanied by introductions to existing customers and production programmes.

Other assets being offered include aircraft engine cowling moulds, an electric forklift, a box pan folder, an English wheel, a manual beading machine, an industrial guillotine, a plasma cutter and table, workshop racking, a drill press, a band saw and a media blasting cabinet.

The equipment is being offered on an as-seen and where-is basis, subject to contract.

The directors said they would do everything reasonably possible to support customers and partners during the transition.

Details have not yet been released about the number of jobs or contractors affected by the closure.

Asset enquiries can be directed to Jonathan Porter, with contact details on the Metal Seagulls Facebook page.