**Teacher Describes Horror as He Restrained School Stabbing Attacker in Carmarthenshire**
A teacher has spoken of the terrifying moment he was forced to restrain a teenage girl who stabbed three people at Ysgol Dyffryn Aman in Ammanford, describing the ordeal as “something out of a horror movie”. The harrowing incident took place on 24th April last year, sending shockwaves through the school and the wider community. The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was in court on Monday 28th April to be sentenced for three counts of attempted murder.
Darrel Campbell, a veteran teacher at the secondary school, recounted the distressing events during a recent interview with BBC Radio Wales. He explained that the attack unfolded during the morning break, with chaos erupting as the young girl suddenly lashed out with her father’s multi-tool. In the ensuing panic, two teachers—Fiona Elias and Liz Hopkin—and a female pupil suffered stab wounds that required hospital treatment.
Mr Campbell’s recollection was vivid and emotional. “I’ve had countless sleepless nights. The incident is like it happened yesterday. As soon as I saw the knife, I was just focused on the girl. She said she was going to kill [the pupil]. I ran after her. I grabbed her right hand which held the knife, I put her into a headlock and dragged her back. Everything else is a blur,” Campbell recalled. His quick thinking and courage played a key role in subduing the attacker and preventing further injuries.
The aftermath left the school community traumatised. Both teachers who were injured later spoke of believing they would not survive the attack. Their statements underlined just how traumatic the incident was for staff and students alike. Meanwhile, the teenager was quickly arrested and taken into police custody. She was subsequently found guilty of three attempted murder charges at a hearing in February.
Such an incident is virtually unheard of in Welsh schools and has prompted renewed discussions about school safety and mental health support for both pupils and staff. Mr Campbell reflected on the broader implications, stating, “I’d like to think it was an isolated incident, I’d like to think it would never happen again in any school in Wales. But schools are a reflection of society, and it is something that the authorities, the Senedd, have to look at. Something needs to happen. There’s no easy answer, but there certainly needs to be discussion, for the safety of pupils and staff in schools across Wales.”
The Welsh Government has acknowledged the need for urgent action. Lynne Neagle MS, the Cabinet Secretary for Education, is set to host a meeting focused on school safety and will convene a National Behaviour Summit. This move signals a commitment to reviewing policies and considering fresh strategies aimed at preventing similar incidents in future.
Community members, parents, and fellow educators have rallied around the school in the aftermath of the attack, expressing support for both the victims and their colleagues. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the potential dangers that schools face and the vital role that staff play—not just as educators, but also as protectors.
The sentencing of the teenage attacker at Swansea Crown Court is being closely watched by the public and has reignited debate on the best approaches to safety and mental health provision in educational settings. While there is consensus that such episodes are exceptionally rare, the incident at Ysgol Dyffryn Aman may well become a catalyst for meaningful change in school policies across Wales.
As the community continues its recovery, there remains a shared determination to ensure every possible measure is taken to safeguard Welsh schools—so that teaching and learning can once again proceed without fear.