Crime

Teacher feared for life during Ammanford school stabbing

Published

1 year ago

January 29, 2025

A TEACHER injured by a knife-wielding pupil during a stabbing at Ysgol Dyffryn Aman in Ammanford thought, “Oh God, this could be it,” as she struggled to restrain the attacker, a court has heard.

Two teachers and a Year 10 pupil were injured in the incident, which took place on April 24, 2024.

A 14-year-old girl has admitted three counts of wounding with intent and possessing a bladed article on school premises but denies three counts of attempted murder.

Giving video evidence at Swansea Crown Court on Tuesday (Jan 28), teacher Fiona Elias described the moment she confronted the teenage attacker.

Ms Elias said she had told the defendant she could not remain in a lower school hall on the day of the attack. She recalled how the pupil had “menacingly” stared at her while playing with an object in her pocket.

“I asked her to stop staring at me and what was in her pocket,” Ms Elias said in her police interview.

“She said, ‘Do you want to see what’s in my pocket?’ She pulled out a knife and said, ‘I’m going to kill you,’ then started stabbing me.”

‘She had completely lost it’

The jury heard Ms Elias suffered injuries to her shoulder, bicep, and hand.

“I tried to restrain her. I remember holding her arms, and she was pulling away. She had completely lost it, and the red mist had come down,” she said.

“She was trying to stab me in all sorts of places, and she got me in four places. I did not pass out or anything—I just remember thinking, ‘Oh God, this could be it.’”

She described the knife as a pen knife with a silver blade.

Ms Elias and fellow teacher Liz Hopkin shouted for help as they grappled with the attacker.

Ms Hopkin was stabbed in the neck. In her recorded evidence played to the court, she recalled: “She came towards me face on and stabbed me in the neck. I thought, ‘S**t, this is it.’

“I was just shouting, ‘Help, get help.’ I thought, ‘If I let go, people are going to get hurt.’”

Ms Hopkin was airlifted from the school for treatment, while Ms Elias was taken to Morriston Hospital in Swansea.

***The case is being heard at Swansea Crown Court (Image: Herald)***

‘One way to be a celebrity’

Earlier, the court heard how the defendant had stabbed a fellow pupil multiple times before being disarmed by male members of staff.

During the prosecution’s opening remarks, the jury was told the teenage girl made a chilling comment to Dyfed-Powys Police officers as she was escorted from the school.

“I’m pretty sure this is going to be on the news, so more eyes are going to be looking at me—that’s one way to be a celebrity,” she reportedly said.

The 14-year-old girl denies three counts of attempted murder.

The case continues.

Crime

Spittal man to stand trial accused of ABH

Published

16 hours ago

June 20, 2026

Court Reporter

A SPITTAL man is to stand trial accused of assaulting a man and causing actual bodily harm.

Robert Hedley, 41, of Wesley Way, Spittal, Haverfordwest, is charged with assaulting Liam Morley-Trivett at St Clears on August 30, 2025.

The case was before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Thursday (Jun 18).

Hedley was granted unconditional bail and is due to stand trial at the same court on Monday, June 29.

The trial is listed for 10:00am and has been given a time estimate of twenty minutes.

Crime

Milford Haven woman spared jail despite string of shop thefts

Published

16 hours ago

June 20, 2026

Court Reporter

Repeat offender stole from Tesco, Home Bargains, Food Warehouse and petrol stations in wave of offences

A MILFORD HAVEN woman who admitted a series of shop thefts committed over a matter of weeks has been handed a suspended prison sentence by magistrates.

Marion Picton, aged 46, of Hawthorn Path, Milford Haven, appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday (Jun 18) and pleaded guilty to eight theft offences and a drugs-related offence.

The court heard that Picton carried out a string of thefts at stores across Milford Haven between April and June this year.

Among the offences, Picton admitted stealing meat from Food Warehouse on Apr 23, food worth £60 from Victoria Filling Station on May 29, groceries from Home Bargains on Jun 7 and Jun 8, food from Victoria Filling Station on Jun 7 and Jun 9, groceries and non-food items worth £51.09 from Tesco on Jun 16, and food worth £32.50 from Food Warehouse on the same day.

She also admitted failing to attend an initial drugs assessment after testing positive for Class A drugs, including cocaine and opiates.

Magistrates were told the offences represented persistent repeat offending and had been committed while Picton was already subject to a court order.

The bench imposed an eight-week prison sentence, suspended for 18 months.

As part of the order, Picton must complete up to 15 rehabilitation activity days under the supervision of the Probation Service.

The court ordered her to pay compensation to several of the businesses affected, including Tesco, Home Bargains, Food Warehouse and Victoria Filling Station.

In sentencing, magistrates said the offences were serious enough to justify immediate custody but suspended the sentence because there was a realistic prospect of rehabilitation and Picton appeared motivated to address her addiction issues.

Picton was warned that any further offending during the 18-month suspension period could see the prison sentence activated.