Ammanford: Husband of school stabbing victim calls for action

BBC News

12-05-2025

The husband of a teacher who was stabbed at a school in Carmarthenshire has accused the Welsh government of "kicking the can down the road" on staff safety.John Hopkin, 54, who is also a teacher at Ysgol Dyffryn Aman in Ammanford, found his wife Liz Hopkin in a "pool of blood" on the morning of 24 April 2024.She, as well as fellow teacher Fiona Elias and a pupil, were stabbed by a 13-year-old student who has since been given a 15-year sentence for their attempted murder.The Welsh government will discuss the findings of a recent violence and safety in schools round table at a behaviour summit this month, while Carmarthenshire County Council said a multi-agency review was underway.
One teachers' union said it had been "a year-long battle" to discuss behaviour and safety in schools since the triple stabbing.Mr Hopkin, who now struggles to sleep, recalled being told to rush through a crowd of pupils to the lower school at Ysgol Dyffryn Aman because his wife had just been stabbed."Liz was just sat on the stone steps, in a pool of blood," he said. "There was a lot of blood coming out and dripping down the stairs."I went up to her, and she turned around to me, and she said, 'I'm really sorry'. I know that she thought she was dying."The school was put into lockdown and Ms Hopkin was airlifted to hospital.Mr Hopkin said their lives had changed forever and that she had not returned to the school."I had time off work and the school have been very supportive," he added."I think physically, [Liz] has recovered well, but she's struggling with her mental health."She's more concerned abut the safety of others in schools. She's worried that people aren't listening, and lessons may not have been learned."
The jury at Swansea Crown Court heard the girl, who cannot be named due to legal reasons, carried a knife to school every day and had moved from another secondary school to Ysgol Dyffryn Aman.The court also heard a knife had been found in her bag earlier in the school year."There must have been flags there that were missed," Mr Hopkin said.While the school has been supportive, he added, he criticised the response from the Welsh government and local education authority (LEA)."We just think it's ridiculous this inaction by the Welsh government, and by the LEA, but I think it's got to be led by the Welsh government first," he said."They just seem to be kicking the can down the road all the time."
'We need action'
The girl's first trial at Swansea Crown Court started in September 2024 but collapsed due to "an irregularity within the jury" which meant the verdict was not reached until February this year after a second trial.But Mr Hopkin added: "They didn't need to have the verdict for this to tackle the rise in poor behaviour."In the county council, nobody has offered any support other than the counselling that came through the school at the beginning, that's carried on."Schools don't feel that empowered. We need the action, the discussions are done."
Both Ms Hopkin and Ms Elias have called for changes since the court case ended in February.There have also been calls for a review of safety in schools from politicians, including from Plaid Cymru Senedd Member Cefin Campbell, whose brother eventually restrained the attacker on the day.UCAC teachers' union said it had been a "year-long battle" to get around the table to discuss the issue, with its members raising concerns about "danger to their lives".Another union, NEU Cymru, welcomed discussions but said "significant investment" was needed "quickly"."This extreme incident is the tip of an iceberg. There is a myriad of issues around it," said the union's interim secretary Nicola Fitzpatrick.She added there was ongoing discussion over a need for a shared protocol to avoid inconsistent guidance and support across Wales.
BBC Wales offered Welsh government's cabinet secretary for education Lynne Neagle an interview, but a statement was sent which said her thoughts were with the victims of this "terrible attack" and their families. "Making sure learners and staff feel safe and supported in our educational settings is essential and we are taking action to address declining behaviour in schools and colleges," she added."The recent Estyn report highlights the issues in our secondary schools and we will be taking forward the recommendations in the report and discussing these, along with the findings of the violence and safety in schools roundtable at our behaviour summit this month."Glynog Davies, Carmarthenshire County Council's cabinet member for education and Welsh language, said the regional safeguarding board had commissioned a multi-agency, independently-led review.He said the review was now underway to ensure good practice was highlighted and shared and that any lessons learnt were identified to improve practice and systems in the future.Davies added the local authority had supported the victims of the incident as well as the wider school community, which had been been "well received" by many.