A 13-year-old girl charged with three counts of attempted murder after a stabbing at a school in South Wales has been remanded in a youth detention centre.
The teenager – who cannot be named for legal reasons – showed no emotion as she appeared in the dock at Llanelli Magistrates’ Court today.
Pupils at Amman Valley School, also known as Ysgol Dyffryn Aman, in Carmarthenshire went into lockdown just after 11.20am on Wednesday after the stabbing at the end of morning break.
Two teachers and a pupil were hurt in the incident but have now been released from hospital.
The 13-year-old was charged with three counts of attempted murder and possession of a bladed article on a school premises yesterday and will next appear at Swansea Crown Court on May 27.
A 13-year-old girl charged with three counts of attempted murder after a stabbing at a school in south Wales has been remanded in a youth detention centre
Pupils at Amman Valley School, also known as Ysgol Dyffryn Aman, in Carmarthenshire went into lockdown just after 11.20am on Wednesday after the stabbing at the end of morning break
One of the teachers injured in the attack was named as Fiona Elias, the head of year seven, by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s official spokesman.
The second adult is reported to be Liz Hopkin, a special needs teacher.
The spokesman said the Prime Minister’s thoughts are with those injured and offered praise for staff and students for responding so calmly and bravely to the incident.
While online lessons will continue, the school remains closed for in-person teaching today, Carmarthenshire County Council has said.
It comes as Darrel Campbell, the teacher who restrained the alleged Ammanford school attacker, does not think of himself as a hero, his brother has insisted.
Mr Campbell disarmed the alleged attacker and put her in an armlock ahead of emergency services arriving at the school.
The school went into lockdown after a ‘code red’ alarm sounded, during which students and staff are said to have hidden in classrooms – with one pupil reportedly vaulting the school fence to get to safety.
Liz Hopkin (pictured with her husband), a special needs teacher at the school in South Wales
Darrel Campbell (left), the teacher who restrained the alleged Ammanford school attacker, does not think of himself as a hero, his brother has insisted
The lockdown lasted around four hours between 11.20am and 3.20pm, resulting in an anxious wait for parents who tearfully hugged their children after they walked through the gates.
A 15-year-old boy was also arrested later on Wednesday after police received reports about messages on social media referring to the stabbing.
Police executed a warrant at the boy’s home, in the nearby Cross Hands area, and recovered a BB gun.
Superintendent Ross Evans, of Dyfed-Powys Police: ‘While this investigation is being run separately to our inquiries into events at the school, our officers are seeking to establish if there was a connection between the alleged offences.
‘Again, I would urge people not to speculate, not to share any images or videos relating to either investigation, and to allow us to carry out our inquiries fully.’
