Principal jailed due to physical assault on deputy, driven by alleged sexual envy.
Unleashing the Unthinkable: A Headteacher's Brutal Attack on His Deputy
A headteacher, riddled with "overwhelming sexual jealousy," has been cuffed and consigned to jail for attacking his deputy with a wrench at school.
Anthony John Felton, the offender, owned up to attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent against Richard Pyke, 51. The 54-year-old, equipped with the tool, cruised around the school grounds, hunting down his colleague, and eventually striking him from behind.
In court, Ieuan Rees, the prosecutor, explained that Felton suspected Mr. Pyke of having an affair with a fellow teacher, one with whom Felton had recently been involved romantically.
On Friday, Felton received a 28-month sentence at Swansea Crown Court. He was also granted a restraining order.
The brutal encounter occurred on March 5, 2025, at St Joseph's Roman Catholic Comprehensive School in Aberavon, South Wales. Post-attack, Felton disposed of the wrench and made a hasty departure from the school premises in his car.
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Following the altercation, Felton immediately penned an email to his staff, expressing his regret for any problems and distress his actions may generate.
Sentencing Felton, Judge Paul Thomas KC labelled the attack a manifestation of "overwhelming sexual jealousy."
"A school headmaster wielding a weapon to inflict severe harm upon their deputy is likely an unparalleled incident," the judge stated. "You're more than intelligent enough to acknowledge that in planning this bizarre assault, you knew the inevitable devastating consequences."
In Judge Thomas' opinion, the assault was an "ambush" that occurred when Pyke believed his assailant to be his friend.
During the trial, Pyke conveyed in a heartrending statement that he would carry the attack's memory forever, suggesting it had tarnished his identity.
"I trusted you implicitly," Pyke lamented.
John Hipkin KC, defending Felton, acknowledged his client's recent struggles due to his mother's demise and a cancer diagnosis. However, the judge maintained that the motive behind the act of violence was jealousy.
In summation, this harrowing incident reveals a case of severe workplace violence driven by personal jealousy at a Welsh school, culminating in criminal charges and the incarceration of the headteacher.
In the sentencing, Judge Paul Thomas KC labeled Anthony John Felton's attack on his deputy Richard Pyke as a manifestation of overwhelming sexual jealousy. This incident marked an unprecedented act of violence in a Welsh school, with Felton receiving a 28-month sentence at Swansea Crown Court. The attack had severe consequences for Pyke, who expressed that he would carry the memory forever, stating, "I trusted you implicitly."
