Schoolgirl said ‘I’m going to do something’ before stabbing teacher, court hears

A schoolgirl told her friends “I’m going to do something stupid” before going on to stab two teachers, a court has heard.

Ysgol Dyffryn Aman – also known as Amman Valley school – in Ammanford, Carmarthenshire went into lockdown in April 2024 after teachers Fiona Elias and Liz Hopkin, and a student, were stabbed by a pupil.

The 14-year-old defendant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, previously admitted the attacks but has denied attempted murder.

On Wednesday, Swansea Crown Court was shown police interviews with pupils who were at the school on the day of the incident.

One told the police she had overheard the girl saying she was going to do something stupid which would involve Mrs Elias.

“I wasn’t part of the conversation, I was just listening,” she said.

“She goes ‘I’m going to do something stupid that could get me expelled’.

“She mentioned something to do with Mrs Elias. She just said she was going to do something stupid.

“I just thought she was going to slap Mrs Elias.”

Several pupils also told the police they had been shown the knife in the lower school hall during break and the defendant had said she was thinking of stabbing someone.

“I didn’t think she was going to do anything,” one girl said.

“She said she was going to ‘stab someone’ or ‘stab Mrs Elias’.

“She always says stuff we don’t believe so we just went on to other conversations.”

A boy said he had heard her say “I’m going to get put away for a long time”, or “you guys won’t see me for a while.”

He said: “I kept looking over at my friends, like: ‘Is this another joke or something?’

“(A boy) sitting beside her said: ‘What are you going to do, then?’

“She just pulled a knife out of a pocket and she went: ‘I’m going to do something which includes a knife’.”

After Mrs Elias came into the hall, the boy said, “her tone, her mannerisms completely changed”.

On the way to his next lesson, he heard that the girl had attacked Mrs Elias outside the lower school hall building.

The jury also heard about an incident on the school bus about a month before the attack, involving the defendant and the injured  girl.

He said he had seen the girl slap the defendant multiple times, who did not respond.

The trial continues.