A 13-YEAR-OLD appeared at Llanelli Magistrates’ Court this morning, in connection to the incident at Ysgol Dyffryn Aman on Wednesday.

She was charged with three counts of attempted murder, and one count of possession of a bladed article in a public place.

No pleas were entered, and she was remanded into a youth detention centre until a future court hearing at Swansea Crown Court.

Criminal proceedings are active in respect of this case, and we ask members of the community not to speculate or comment on the circumstances.

On Thursday (Apr 25), the police confirmed that a teenager had been charged in relation to the incident at Ysgol Dyffryn Amman yesterday.

Police were called to the school at around 11.20am, following reports that three people had been injured.

Two teachers and a pupil were taken to hospital with stab wounds. They received treatment for knife injuries, have all since been discharged.

A CID-led investigation was launched, and there has continued to be a police presence at the school today as we gather evidence to assist our enquiries.

Police also said: “Yesterday evening, our control room received a number of calls reporting concerns over messages being shared on social media, which had references to the incident at Ysgol Dyffryn Aman.
Officers swiftly carried out a warrant at the home of the person believed to be responsible for this content, and a 15-year-old male was arrested.

He also remains in police custody while we investigate these allegations.”

At a press conference outside the school, also on Thursday, Superintendent Ross Evans said: “While this investigation is being run separately to our enquiries into events at the school, our officers are seeking to establish if there was a connection between the alleged offences.

“Again, I would urge people not to speculate, not to share any images or videos relating to either investigation, and to allow us to carry out our enquiries fully.

“If you, or your children, are distressed by these events, please seek support from an appropriate agency.

“Finally, I would once again like to thank our colleagues at the Welsh Ambulance Service and Wales Air Ambulance Service for their swift response to this incident, as well as the NHS staff who treated those who were injured, the charitable organisations who are supporting those affected by this incident, and the vigilant members of the public who reported their concerns to us.”

THIS week in the Senedd, the Welsh Liberal Democrats renewed their demands for the implementation of child poverty targets.

According to a report from the Bevan foundation, 29% of children living in Wales are currently experiencing poverty (an estimated 190,000 children).

The same report highlighted that the largest percentage of children living in poverty are from working households or in couple households.

The Welsh Lib Dems are now renewing calls for the Welsh Government to create a set of targets for reducing child poverty, which the party argues will allow for more accountability.

The party has previously called for the implementation of targets, citing recommendations from the Calling Time on Child Poverty Report published in November last year.

Commenting, the Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats Jane Dodds MS said: “The latest statistics on childhood poverty in Wales paints a very distressing image of families across the country struggling to make ends meet.

Over the course of the last six years, the proportion of children in poverty has skyrocketed. Fuelled by worsening economic conditions and a complete lack of action from both governments in Westminster and Cardiff Bay.

We cannot act complacent about these figures nor accept the clear lack of progress in fighting child poverty, behind each statistic is a child that the state has failed.

It remains painfully clear that the Welsh Government is failing to make any meaningful progress in this fight, which is why they must follow through with the implementation of clear set targets that will allow for further accountability.

We as a party have continuously called for the creation of these targets and we will not be silenced. For the sake of future generations we urge the Welsh Government to listen.”

RETAIL trade union Usdaw is deeply concerned by today’s police recorded crime statistics showing that in 2023 there were significant increases in shoplifting across all constabulary areas in Wales. In the whole of England and Wales there has been a persistent upward trend since the pandemic, which continued with a 37% increase and has now risen to the highest level in 20 years.

The Office for National Statistics released figures showing a 39% increase in shoplifting incidents across Wales and by constabulary area as follows:

• Dyfed-Powys +11%
• Gwent +47%
• North Wales +23%
• South Wales +51% 

Usdaw’s 2023 annual survey of over 5,500 shopworkers found that 60% had suffered incidents of violence, threats and abuse that were triggered by shoplifting and armed robbery.

Paddy Lillis, Usdaw General Secretary says: “Shoplifting is not a victimless crime, theft from shops has long been a major flashpoint for violence and abuse against shopworkers. Having to deal with repeated and persistent shoplifters can cause issues beyond the theft itself like anxiety, fear and in some cases physical harm to retail workers. This 39% increase in shoplifting across Wales is further evidence that we are facing an epidemic of retail crime, which is hugely concerning.

“Our members have reported that they are often faced with hardened career criminals in the stores and we know that retail workers are much more likely to be abused by those who are stealing to sell goods on. Our latest survey results show that 7 in 10 retail workers suffered abuse from customers, with far too many experiencing threats and violence. 60% of respondents said theft from shops and armed robbery were triggers for these incidents.

“The scale of assaults, abuse and threats towards shopworkers and extent of the retail crime epidemic has been a disgrace for many years. This has been made worse by police cuts and a failure to legislate to protect retail staff. Usdaw has long called for action that includes a standalone offence for assaulting a shopworker and that has been vehemently opposed by this Government and their Conservative MPs on many occasions.

“Recently the Government performed a long overdue U-turn after many years of sustained campaigning by Usdaw and others. Our members have had to wait too long for their voices to be heard and common sense to prevail. We will have to see the detail of what Ministers are proposing and we are clear that it must be at least what we won in Scotland three years ago. It also cannot fall short of Labour’s commitments to 13,000 more uniformed officers, patrols on high streets, banning repeat offenders and ending the perverse £200 threshold for prosecuting shoplifters.

“The dither and delay by this Government on this issue over many years, has led to thousands of shopworkers needlessly suffering physical and mental injury. Today’s stats should ensure that their promise to legislate is done speedily. We hope that whatever the Government is proposing will be substantial and effective in giving shopworkers, key workers in every community, the respect that they have long deserved and regrettably too often do not receive.”