In a shocking case, a head teacher attacked his deputy with a wrench at St Joseph’s Roman Catholic Comprehensive in Aberavon, Neath Port Talbot. Anthony Felton, 54, admitted attempted grievous bodily harm after striking Richard Pyke, 51, on 5 March.
Felton learned he had fathered a child with a fellow teacher. He also recently discovered that Mr Pyke had entered a relationship with the same woman. Driven by jealousy, Felton stormed into Mr Pyke’s office and attacked him from behind.
Mr Pyke suffered minor injuries and received hospital treatment. In his victim statement, he said Felton “manipulated me into a position of complete vulnerability.”
“I thought we were trusted colleagues who built a relationship of trust and understanding,” Mr Pyke added. “It terrifies me still. I feel I have lost so much of me.”
Colleagues rushed in after hearing the disturbance. CCTV footage captured Felton striking Mr Pyke multiple times. After the attack, Felton threw the wrench away, drove off, and emailed staff to apologize for “the problems and distress” his actions had caused.
Police arrested Felton later that day. He pleaded guilty early, which reduced his sentence. Judge Paul Thomas KC sentenced him to two years and four months in prison. Felton also received an indefinite restraining order covering Mr Pyke, his wife, and children.
The judge called the attack “entirely without precedent” and condemned its potential impact. “You knew better than most the current prevalence of violence in schools,” he said. “The appalling example this sets needs no emphasis.”
He stressed that sexual jealousy and uncontrollable rage fueled Felton’s actions. “You lured him into an ambush, and your rage led to his downfall,” the judge said.
Felton’s defense lawyer, John Hipkin KC, cited his mother’s death and a recent cancer diagnosis. However, the judge insisted Felton’s overwhelming jealousy was the true cause of his violence.
Abul Hussain of the Crown Prosecution Service described the attack as “shocking” and said it could have easily led to life-changing injuries. “Thankfully, that was not the result in this case,” he noted.
Without his early plea, Felton would have faced three-and-a-half years in jail. Under sentencing guidelines, he will serve half his time in custody and the rest on licence.
The assault has shaken the school community and raised serious concerns about professional conduct and workplace safety.
