Ambushed in Broad Daylight
A headteacher who launched a brutal wrench attack on his deputy over suspected infidelity has been jailed for more than two years. Anthony John Felton, 54, ambushed Richard Pyke, 51, inside a staff office at St Joseph’s Roman Catholic Comprehensive School in Aberavon, South Wales. CCTV footage played in Swansea Crown Court showed the moment Felton pulled the heavy tool from his jacket and smashed it down on the back of Mr Pyke’s head, prompting audible gasps from the public gallery.
Fuelled by Jealous Rage
Prosecutors said Felton, who had recently learned he was the father of a colleague’s child, suspected Mr Pyke had started a relationship with the same woman. “He believed Mr Pyke had now begun his own relationship with that lady,” said prosecutor Ieuan Rees. In the moments after the attack, Felton fled the school, threw away the wrench, and sent an email to all staff apologising for the “distress” caused.
‘Appalling Example’ Set by Head
Felton pleaded guilty to attempted grievous bodily harm with intent on April 7 and was sentenced to two years and four months in prison. He was also made subject to a restraining order. Judge Paul Thomas KC condemned the attack as “entirely without precedent,” telling Felton: “The appalling example this sets to others needs no emphasis from me. That a headmaster of a school should take a weapon to harm a deputy is… extraordinary.”
Victim Thought He Was a Friend
The judge said Mr Pyke had been “lured” into an office and attacked from behind in a calculated ambush. “Mr Pyke thought he was your friend. Your victim. He was struck from behind having been lured by you,” Judge Thomas added. He highlighted the gravity of the case by referencing a nearby incident involving a 14-year-old who had attacked teachers and a pupil, underscoring growing violence in schools.
Defence Cites Ill Health, Grief
Felton’s defence barrister, John Hipkin KC, said his client was dealing with the recent death of his mother and a cancer diagnosis. However, Judge Thomas said the true motivator was “overwhelming sexual jealousy arising from an adulterous affair and the uncontrollable rage it created in you.”
Shocking Violence at Workplace
Thankfully, Mr Pyke escaped with minor injuries and was later discharged from hospital. Abul Hussain of the Crown Prosecution Service said: “The level of unprovoked violence, from a professional in the workplace, was shocking… Too often we see attacks like this result in life-changing or fatal consequences.” The court heard Felton had only been appointed as headteacher in September 2023.
