A 16-year-old boy has been convicted of wounding with intent after an incident which took place at Milford Haven Comprehensive School earlier this year.

Following a trial at Swansea Crown Court, the pupil was found not guilty of attempted murder after stabbing his teacher in the head with a kitchen knife.

He had previously pleaded guilty to a count of being in possession of a knife.

At approximately 3.20pm on Thursday, February 5, the teenager [who cannot be named for legal reasons] followed teacher Vicki Williams into an empty classroom under the pretense of needing help with his history work.

He then pulled a knife from his bag and lunged at her. Williams described the harrowing moment at Crown Court when the boy lunged at her with the knife, stating that she feared for her life.

She told the court that the attack came out of nowhere, and she believed she was about to die, thinking: "I'm fearful that I am dying, I've seen the knife, I know I've been stabbed, all I'm thinking at that point is, 'I need help'.

The teacher was able to disarm the student, but sustained injuries that required hospital treatment. Fortunately, she was able to make a recovery following treatment.

She recounted the chilling look of "pure hatred" on the boy's face during the incident.

Dyfed-Powys Police, along with other emergency services, swiftly attended the scene and safeguarded pupils and staff, and a lockdown at the school was implemented. Shortly afterwards, police traced and arrested the then 15-year-old boy.

He was charged on February 7 and remanded into custody prior to the trial.

Senior Investigating Officer, DI Sarah Totterdale said: “Firstly, I would like to commend the bravery shown by the victim in this case. What happened to her on February 5th must have been a truly terrifying ordeal, so to have to attend court and re-live that experience has taken exceptional courage.

“It is thanks to pure good fortune that she did not sustain even worse injuries, but the emotional impact cannot be underestimated. We would like to thank her for her assistance throughout this investigation.

“This incident also understandably had a profound impact on other students and teachers in Milford Haven Comprehensive School, as well as the wider community. Fortunately, we were able to promptly attend the school, ensure the safeguarding of pupils and teachers, as well as apprehend the offender.

“Lastly, I’d like to thank our emergency service partners who responded alongside us on the day, teachers, staff and parents/ guardians and pupils from Milford Haven Comprehensive School, Pembrokeshire County Council, and members of the local community for their patience and understanding.

“I hope that with the criminal proceedings now at a conclusion, that the victim in this case can begin to obtain closure from this incident, and that Milford Haven Comprehensive School can continue passionately teaching, learning and thriving together in a safe environment.”

The defendant will return to Swansea Crown Court to be sentenced on September 3.