Headteacher faces jail after admitting attacking deputy in school fight
A headteacher is facing jail after he admitted attacking his deputy at their secondary school in Wales.
Anthony John Felton, 54, inflicted ‘a number of blows’ to his deputy at St Joseph’s Roman Catholic Comprehensive School in Aberavon, South Wales, Swansea Crown Court heard.
Felton pleaded guilty today to attempted grievous bodily harm against Richard Pyke, 51, with intent against his deputy head.
Mr Pyke was rushed to hospital but later discharged having suffered only minor injuries.
Details of the incident were not explained in court, but the judge heard that the fight had all been caught on CCTV.
Felton spoke only to confirm his name and enter his plea via video-link from prison.
Following the guilty plea, judge Paul Thomas KC said the headteacher was due a prison sentence for the assault.
He added: ‘In the context of where and how this offence was committed, and in particular, bearing in mind the propensity of violence in schools perpetrated by pupils, it seems to me that my public duty require that only a prison sentence can be passed here.
‘I am sure a prison sentence is inevitable. It is simply a question of fixing the length.’
Felton’s defense lawyer said there was a unique background to the incident.
John Hipkin KC said of the headteacher’s fight: ‘On any view this is a spectacular fall from grace, to say the least.’
Felton is due to be sentenced on April 25.
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