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A teacher at Milford Haven Comprehensive School in Pembrokeshire was attacked with a large kitchen knife by a 16-year-old pupil, an incident that left her fearing for her life, the court heard. The boy followed Vicki Williams into a classroom, requesting assistance with his history assignment. According to testimony at Swansea Crown Court, he suddenly lunged at her with the knife, stabbing her in the head and pushing her backwards into a chair. Williams recounted her fear during the attack, believing she would not survive and would never see her daughter again.
The teenager, who cannot be named due to his age, denies charges including attempted murder, wounding with intent, and unlawful wounding, although he has admitted to possessing the knife. On the second day of the trial, Williams explained to the jury that she had taught the boy earlier that same day and described him as “absolutely fine” during that lesson. She noted that she had no prior issues with him, thought they generally got along well, and found it unusual that he came to her classroom to ask for help. Although she identified him as a “low work ability child,” she acknowledged that recent mock exams might have served as a wake-up call for him.
Recalling the moments leading up to the attack, Williams described how the pupil repeatedly asked, “Is that right?” while pointing at his book, all the while rummaging unsteadily in his bag and avoiding looking at the book. She explained that this behavior appeared to be a tactic to keep her talking while he slowly tried to position himself behind her. Suddenly, he pulled something from the bag and knocked her back into her chair. She looked up to see a knife pointed downward, feeling heavy pressure as he made a stabbing motion. Williams grabbed the knife and described the expression in his eyes as “pure hatred,” clearly showing intent.
The school’s safeguarding lead, Catherine Wilcox, gave evidence detailing Williams’s appearance after the attack, describing it as “horrific.” Wilcox noted that Williams showed her the wound on her head and recounted seeing blood tangled in her hair. She added, “Vicki always presents herself so well, and she just looked horrific. Her skin was the colour of a dead body.” Police officer Henry Foster testified that while there was no CCTV footage inside the classroom, cameras in the corridors captured the pupil entering and leaving the room. The jury was shown footage of the boy running from the school building before slowing down and walking away from the premises. Additional CCTV showed that Williams managed to hold onto the boy’s arm and the knife during the struggle, with footage capturing him running out of the classroom approximately two minutes later, and Williams exiting with the knife in her hand. Emergency services were called immediately, the school was briefly locked down, and it was closed the following day. Williams sustained multiple injuries, including a 7cm wound to her lower back, and was treated at Withybush Hospital. The boy was apprehended at his grandmother’s home. The trial is ongoing
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