Ammanford: Teen stabbed two teachers and pupil, court hears

A 14-year-old girl repeatedly stabbed two teachers and a pupil during break time at a school in Carmarthenshire, a jury has heard.

Teachers Fiona Elias and Liz Hopkin, along with a student, were injured in the attack in April at Ysgol Dyffryn Aman in Ammanford.

As the trial opened at Swansea Crown Court on Monday, the defendant, who cannot be named due to her age, was said to have told Ms Elias she was going to kill her before stabbing her in her arms.

The teenager previously admitted the triple stabbing, but denies attempted murder.

Ms Hopkin was stabbed in her neck, back, arms and legs, while the pupil received a leg injury, the court heard.

The jury watched CCTV clips of the incident showing the pupil talking to Ms Elias and Ms Hopkin during break time before pulling a knife on them.

The court heard from prosecution barrister William Hughes KC who said that the girl asked Ms Elias: “Do you want to see what’s in my pocket?”.

The girl, described by Ms Elias as having “sinister eyes”, then said she was going to kill her.

Mr Hughes said she then repeatedly stabbed Ms Elias, while Ms Hopkin grabbed her and tried to restrain her.

Ms Hopkin was then also stabbed multiple times and lost hold of the teenager.

The girl was then approached by two other teachers, Stephen Hagget and Darrel Campbell, who were seen trying to calm her.

Mr Hughes said she again threatened to kill Ms Elias if she saw her.

The court was told the teenager then moved to another area of the school and shouted at a pupil she was going to kill her, before attacking her.

At that point the teenager was restrained by teachers and taken to a classroom where she was later arrested.

The court also heard that a kitchen knife had been found in the teenager’s bag earlier in the year, resulting in her bag subsequently being regularly checked by her father.

However, on the day of the attack those checks weren’t done and she allegedly took a knife from her dad’s fishing kit which was kept in their living room.

The teenager, who has been kept in youth detention since the incident, was also said to have made “a number of insensitive comments” as she was taken to Llanelli police station.

William Hughes KC described how she admitted stabbing the pupil, adding the word “oopsies”.

She also said: “I’m pretty sure this is going to be on the news – that’s one way to be a celebrity.”

The court was told that she also asked police if the three victims had died.

Dyfed Powys Police conducted a search of her home and found drawings referring to Ms Elias and the pupil who was stabbed.

A drawing of a female with the words “Mrs Frogface Elias” was found and another with the pupil’s name, with references to burning and death.

The trial will continue on Wednesday.