CCTV Captures Former Headteacher’s ‘Jealous Rage’ Attack on Long-Time Colleague
A disturbing incident at a Welsh secondary school has come to light after CCTV footage revealed the moment a respected headteacher assaulted an assistant head with a heavy spanner-like tool amid suspicions of a workplace affair. The attack, which took place at St Joseph’s Roman Catholic Comprehensive School in Aberavon, has sent shockwaves through the education community and highlighted the devastating impacts of betrayal and violence in the workplace.
The attacker, Anthony John Felton, was serving as headteacher and had been a colleague and friend to the victim, Richard Pyke, for over fifteen years. Testimony at Swansea Crown Court described what began as a seemingly routine workday. Pyke and Felton were engaged in a discussion about a straightforward parental email when, without warning, Felton pulled a large metal implement from his coat pocket.
In a chilling but mercifully brief encounter, the video evidence showed Felton forcefully bringing the tool down on Pyke’s head. Startled and hurt, Pyke clutched his head and dropped to the floor, trying desperately to fend off further blows with flailing kicks. A third staff member, drawn by Pyke’s screams for help, managed to intervene, bringing the attack to an end.
Prosecutors explained that Felton’s violent outburst stemmed from jealousy. He believed Pyke had engaged in a relationship with another member of staff with whom Felton himself had been involved. While the court did not seek to substantiate or refute the underlying claims of infidelity, it was clear that Felton masked his animosity until that fateful morning, misleading Pyke into believing their friendship and working relationship remained intact.
Following the attack on 5 March, Felton fled the scene, disposing of the makeshift weapon. Before leaving, he issued a mass email to staff, expressing apologies for “the problems and distress his actions were likely to cause.” In court, Felton pleaded guilty to attempted grievous bodily harm with intent, and he was subsequently sentenced to two years and four months in custody.
Remarkably, Pyke’s physical injuries were relatively minor, but as outlined in a powerful personal victim statement read to the court, the psychological fallout has been severe. Pyke expressed a sense of betrayal, trauma and altered everyday experience, stating, “You had my complete trust in every way and you used that to manoeuvre me into a position of utter vulnerability.” He recounted the shock and terror of the attack – “I thought the lights were falling in on me” – and described struggling with security, nightmares, and significantly altered everyday activities. “I cannot at this point go to work … The impact on my work life is and might always be profound.”
Felton’s defence argued that he had been under considerable personal stress, grieving his mother’s recent death and coping with a cancer diagnosis. Nonetheless, the presiding Judge, Paul Thomas KC, concluded that “the overwhelming sexual jealousy arising from an adulterous affair and the uncontrollable rage it created” was the primary trigger for Felton’s actions.
The judge further highlighted the severe reputational damage to the school and the worrying precedent set by such violence, especially as education staff across the country continue to face security concerns. He commented, “That a headmaster of a school should take a weapon to harm a deputy is, I expect, entirely without precedent.”
The incident has prompted reflection within the Welsh education sector on the importance of trust, mental health support, and appropriate boundaries among staff. It also serves as a stark reminder of the unseen emotional pressures that can lead to tragic consequences when left unaddressed.
As the court proceedings ended, Mr Pyke’s words echoed a broader call for awareness: “The impact on family is equally profound. They have lost a part of the confident dad they knew. What if the news that went viral was not that I was injured— but that I had died? That still haunts me.” The fallout from this shocking event will likely be felt in Port Talbot’s community – and welsh schools more broadly – for some time to come.