Latest news with #LizHopkin
Sky News
22-05-2025
- Sky News
Husband of teacher stabbed at school in West Wales calls for action on pupil behaviour
The husband of a teacher who was stabbed by a pupil at a school in West Wales has called for urgent action to tackle behaviour. This article contains descriptions some readers may find distressing. Liz Hopkin was stabbed by a teenage girl at Ysgol Dyffryn Aman, Carmarthenshire, last April. Fellow teacher Fiona Elias and a pupil were also stabbed in the incident. The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was detained for 15 years last month after she was convicted of three counts of attempted murder. Mrs Hopkin attempted to restrain the pupil after her colleague was stabbed in an outdoor area of the school during the mid-morning break on 24 April 2024. Recalling the day he saw his wife Liz "in a pool of blood", John Hopkin described the scene as "hectic". "Then she just assumed she was dying, so she was just apologising for going," Mr Hopkin told Sky News. "And that's when, not so much panic hit, but I didn't really know what was going on after that." The impact of the events of that day continue to have a profound effect on Mrs Hopkin and her family. "It's completely changed our whole life and family life," Mr Hopkin said. "Physically, [Liz is] recovering just knocked her right back and I think it's not going to be a quick process to get over that." 'Watershed moment' Mr Hopkin is calling for an independent inquiry into what happened at Ysgol Dyffryn Aman. "I'm not bothered about accountability or blame, and Liz is neither," he added. "But what we do want is to see if there was anything that was done wrong to stop it happening again. "It won't happen in Dyffryn Aman, touch wood, but somewhere in Wales and somewhere in England, it will happen again." Carmarthenshire County Council told Sky News an "independently led review" is now under way following the conclusion of the trial. The council's cabinet member for education and the Welsh language, Glynog Davies, said the review would "ensure any good practice is highlighted and shared and that any lessons learnt are identified". Cllr Davies said the local authority had supported the victims as well as "the wider school community", with that support continuing "in individual and bespoke ways". A Welsh government summit is taking place on Thursday, which will focus on behaviour in schools. Mr Hopkin hopes the incident at Ysgol Dyffryn Aman will be "a watershed moment" and believes the Welsh government can take urgent steps to tackle pupil behaviour. Having worked in nine secondary schools all over Wales, Mr Hopkin says greater communication with teachers is needed and that a consistent approach is key. "Every single school deals with behaviour differently," Mr Hopkin said. "We've got a government that doesn't want to lead on this and is stopping schools from treating behaviour consistently. "It's a big issue and I don't think that the summit on its own is going to come up with the answers." He also called for a Wales-wide ban on smartphones in schools to improve behaviour. In March, a Senedd committee rejected a petition calling for a ban and instead recommended clearer guidance for schools. Plans to prohibit the use of mobile phones in England's schools were dropped last year. "Banning mobile phones in schools would make a massive difference," Mr Hopkin added. "And you can see schools that have banned them have found a really positive improvement in behaviour." Mr Hopkin also said that the problems facing schools in Wales were no "different" to other areas of the UK. "I think the Welsh government are reluctant to agree that the problems that are facing Wales are the same as the problems that face anywhere in England, whether it's in a city or in the countryside," he said. "The problems are everywhere, we're not protected by a big bubble." 'Sustained investment' Teaching unions have welcomed the summit but are calling for increased investment to tackle challenging behaviour. Nicola Fitzpatrick, interim Wales secretary for the National Education Union (NEU), told Sky News that its members wanted to see "action" from the government. "Unless increased and sustained investment is secured, then we just hinder the ability of all stakeholders to urgently address the issues in a way that meet the needs of learners, but crucially that keeps all staff and students safe," she said. "So we'd like to see some strong, clear, collaborative guidance that's consistent across all local authorities in Wales - that there aren't 22 different ways to do it - and that good practice and collaborative practice is shared." The Welsh government told Sky News that schools in Wales are "dealing with a whole range of wider societal issues on a daily basis and there is no one solution". "The summit is part of a longer program of work which includes our recent roundtable on violence and safety in schools and colleges and the commitment to provide clear guidance on the use of mobile phones," it said in a statement.
BBC News
14-05-2025
- BBC News
Ammanford school stabbing juror in court over trial collapse
A juror accused of causing the collapse of a trial into a triple school stabbing has appeared in month, a teenage girl was sentenced to 15 years for the attempted murder of two teachers and a pupil at Ysgol Dyffryn Aman, Carmarthenshire, following a Elias, 45, of Waunceirch, Neath Port Talbot, has been charged with refusing to answer a question relating to the qualification to serve on a appeared at Swansea Magistrates' Court on Wednesday and he was released on unconditional bail ahead of his next hearing on 2 June at Cardiff Magistrates' Court. Teachers Fiona Elias, Liz Hopkin and a pupil, who cannot be named because of their age, were stabbed by the girl, who was 13 at the time, during break time at the school in April first attempted murder trial collapsed in October because of what the judge described as a "great irregularity in the jury".The charge on Mr Elias comes under the Juries Act 1974, which sets out requirements as to who is eligible for jury service in Wales and England, and permits court officers to put questions to potential jurors to establish whether or not they are qualified to form part of a jury.
BBC News
12-05-2025
- BBC News
Ammanford: Husband of school stabbing victim calls for action
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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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.
Wales Online
29-04-2025
- Wales Online
Why we can't name the 14-year-old girl who stabbed two teachers and a fellow pupil
Why we can't name the 14-year-old girl who stabbed two teachers and a fellow pupil The teenager was said to have stabbed two teachers and a fellow pupil "to get attention" and left her victims with lifelong scars but she will not be named publicly Police at Ysgol Dyffryn Aman following the stabbing (Image: PA ) A girl who took a knife to school and used it to try to murder two teachers and a pupil at a Welsh school will not be named publicly despite being sentenced to a 15-year detention. The girl - who was 13 at the time - took her father's multi-tool to school on April 24 last year an used it to attack deputy head Fiona Elias, teacher Liz Hopkin, and a fellow pupil in the Ysgol Dyffryn Aman yard in Carmarthen during morning break. The girl was sentenced to 15 years detention after being convicted at trial at Swansea Crown Court of three counts of attempted murder. Sending her down on Monday a judge said that in his view the teenager had chosen the time and location of the attack to ensure she got maximum attention for what she planned to do. You can read the judge's scathing remarks about the defendant here During the trial the jury heard how the girl approached Mrs Elias in the school yard and said "I'm going to f****** kill you" before producing the weapon from her pocket and stabbing the deputy head in the arms. When Mrs Hopkin - who happened to be standing next to her colleague in the yard - intervened and tried to restrain the girl, the teenager turned on her and stabbed her to the neck, back, legs and arms. The teenager then ran off and attacked a a 14-year-old with the bladed multi-tool before being successfully restrained and disarmed by staff. You can read the powerful statements read to the sentencing court by the injured teachers here. Article continues below Fiona Elias (left) and Liz Hopkin (Image: Media Wales ) The identity of the defendant, who was convicted at trial earlier this year, is protected by a court order which means she cannot be named. Don't miss a court report by signing up to our crime newsletter here . During the trial the identity of the teenager was protected by a court order made under section 45 of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 which prohibits the publication of her name or address and the publication of her photograph. At the sentencing this week hearing WalesOnline applied to have the order varied or lifted to allow the defendant - who is now aged 14 - to be named in the public interest. The application was refused and the order remains in place until the defendant turns 18. During sentencing Judge Paul Thomas KC told defendant that what she did had caused "a great deal of harm and upset" for many people and had seriously affected many lives, including her own. He told her: "The simple fact is, you tried to kill three people - two teachers and another pupil". He said he was satisfied the defendant formed the intention to kill her other two victims shortly before she attacked them, though he noted the defendant also "hated" the girl she stabbed. Judge Thomas told the girl: "I think it's very important here that what you did, you did in full view of so many other pupils at breaktime when there were lots of other people around. That is not a coincidence. "In my view you wanted as many fellow pupils as possible to see what you were going to do. You picked the time and you picked the place to attack Mrs Elias." Article continues below He continued: "I believe you did what you did, above all, for attention - perhaps attention you have not had from others. I think, in a weird way, you actually enjoyed the reaction and publicity coming out of what you did." The judge said that having watched the defendant in court and giving evidence from the witness box he did not think she was "genuinely sorry" for what she had done. He said the defendant had said she was sorry but in his view "I don't think you care very much, if at all, about how the victims have suffered."
