Ammanford teacher stabbed by girl could ‘never’ return to work

A instructor who was attacked by a scholar in a triple stabbing at a college final yr mentioned she “might by no means” return to work.

Liz Hopkin, together with fellow instructor Fiona Elias and a pupil, was stabbed throughout breaktime at Ysgol Dyffryn Aman in Carmarthenshire on 24 April 2024.

The lady, who was 13 on the time and can’t be named, was sentenced to 15 years in detention earlier this year, after she was discovered responsible of tried homicide.

In her first interview because the assault, Ms Hopkin recalled grabbing {the teenager} who had lunged at her colleague with a knife as she shouted “I’ll kill you”.

“It has been a very long time but it surely’s nonetheless very a lot vivid there in my head,” Ms Hopkin instructed BBC Wales.

“It was intent. Had Fiona been there on her personal at that time, the end result would have been very totally different.

“She stabbed me within the leg after which she got here in the direction of me and stabbed me within the neck after which twice within the again.”

The lady had instructed fellow pupils on the morning of the assault she would stab Ms Elias.

Ms Hopkin mentioned she didn’t know the scholar and solely discovered her identify after the assault.

“There have been so many youngsters round and I simply needed to maintain them secure,” she added.

“I believed that was the top, actually. I have never been again to work. I am unable to ever think about doing that work once more, I am unable to think about going into a college, I am unable to go previous the entrance of the varsity.

“I really feel like I’ve acquired quite a bit to supply however all the things stopped that day.”

Earlier this yr, the trial at Swansea Crown Court docket heard that the lady would carry a knife to high school each day.

A multi-agency review was revealed on Wednesday which outlined new detail about how the teenager was fascinated by war and weapons.

The report steered the lady had a troubled childhood and psychological well being challenges.

The creator, Gladys Rhodes White, made 11 suggestions to businesses and mentioned the lady would have benefited from “focused assist” if info had been “absolutely shared and assessed”.

Ms Hopkin mentioned she welcomed the report however that she nonetheless had considerations.

“The suggestions and what has come up in that report is not something new,” she mentioned.

“Considering that there have been occasions, the place maybe, folks or businesses particularly might have mentioned or shared this info and labored collectively, it might have made an enormous distinction.

“What is going to assistance is that if folks take the report critically and do not simply shelve it.

“The incidents which might be occurring are the tip of the iceberg. There is not sufficient motion.

“I would like the Welsh authorities to be trying extra deeply into why these conditions occur. Nothing has modified.”

Her calls have been echoed by unions and politicians, together with Plaid Cymru Senedd member – and ex-pupil of Ysgol Dyffryn Aman – Adam Value, who known as on the Welsh authorities to implement a coverage response.

“Two of probably the most hanging issues are the necessity for an overhaul of the best way info is shared between businesses, if that jiqsaw had been related, might it have helped forestall this incident from occurring?,” mentioned Mr Value.

“We have had the summit however what we’ve not but seen is a imaginative and prescient and a method ahead, implementing sensible concrete coverage modifications in an entire host of areas, constructing on the teachings and suggestions discovered on this report, however insights from instructing unions and others too.

“As a result of my worry is that if that does not occur, then we might, and doubtless shall be taking a look at different tragedies sooner or later which might be much more critical.”

In a joint assertion, Carmarthenshire council, the headteacher of Ysgol Dyffryn Aman, Dyfed-Powys Police and Hywel Dda well being board mentioned they “acknowledge the difficult and tough circumstance confronted by the victims and the entire neighborhood” after the incident.

“We’ve got acquired the impartial report in respect of the Multi-Company Skilled Discussion board (MAPF), and can work with all companions to develop an motion plan to handle its suggestions.

“Whereas it’s not regular to publish critiques of this sort, or for such a evaluation to be undertaken independently, it was agreed for the Mid and West Wales Safeguarding Youngsters’s Board to publish the report on behalf of the businesses concerned within the MAPF to make sure all doable efforts have been made to study from these occasions and to take action in a clear and open method.”

The Welsh authorities mentioned: “It’s vital classes are learnt from this tragic and surprising occasion to make sure incidents like this by no means occur once more.

“It’s clear the varsity did all the things it might in response to the incident.”

It added it was working with companions “to develop more practical, multi-agency approaches to handle behaviour points in faculties”.