'Spectacular fall from grace': Headteacher who attacked deputy over 'love triangle' faces ‘inevitable’ prison sentence
7 April 2025, 14:23 | Updated: 8 April 2025, 06:28
A headteacher from south Wales is facing jail after admitting attacking his deputy at a Catholic secondary school in Neath Port Talbot.
Anthony John Felton, 54, appeared at Swansea Crown Court on Monday morning via video-link from prison, where he pleaded guilty to attempted grievous bodily harm with intent against Richard Pyke, 51.
Police were called to St Joseph's Roman Catholic Comprehensive School in Aberavon on the morning of Wednesday March 5, to reports of an assault.
Following the incident, Mr Pyke was taken to hospital with minor injuries.
According to an annual report from the school’s governing body, Mr Felton from Gorseinon, Swansea, was appointed headteacher in 2023.
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John Hipkin KC, defending, told the court that Felton inflicted “a number of blows” to Mr Pyke during the attack, all of which had been caught on CCTV.
"The defendant is in the process of obtaining some references, which hasn't been an easy process from prison," he said.
"It is a serious matter, obviously, and it is whether the court requires further information about the defendant in the content of a pre-sentence report or not."
Judge Paul Thomas KC told the court that the offence was so serious that a prison sentence was “inevitable”.
Mr Hipkin said the case had a “unique background”, before adding: "On any view this is a spectacular fall from grace, to say the least."
No further details of the offence or circumstance surrounding the incident were heard.
"I don't think I will assist by a pre-sentence report,” the judge said, “because I am sure a prison sentence is inevitable. It is simply a question of fixing the length".
Anthony Felton was remanded in custody and is due to be sentenced at Swansea Crown Court on April 25.
Addressing the defendant, the judge added: "I think that will give you enough time to get any references or any other supporting documentation that you want to put before the court."
