Headteacher Anthony Felton who attacked deputy at school due to “overwhelming sexual jealousy” released from jail

A headteacher who attacked his deputy with a wrench at school due to “overwhelming sexual jealousy” has been released from jail just four months into a two-year sentence. Anthony Felton attacked his deputy Richard Pyke on school premises in May and was sentenced to two years and four months in prison the following month after pleading guilty to attempted grievous bodily harm with intent.

However the 54-year-old, of Penyrheol Road, Gorseinon, Swansea, has now been released under a home detention curfew. The Ministry of Justice has confirmed his release under home detention curfew (HDC) with an electronic tag, saying Felton had been risk assessed and would be subject to strict conditions.

During the shocking attack earlier this year, Felton armed himself with the tool and sought out his 51-year-old colleague, attacking him from behind. Mr Pyke fell to the ground and attempted to kick away his attacker, before colleagues at St Joseph’s Roman Catholic Comprehensive School in Aberavon, South Wales, heard the disturbance and came to his aid.

CCTV of the incident shown to the court caused people in the public gallery to gasp as Felton landed a blow to the back of Mr Pyke’s head. The court heard how Felton believed Mr Pyke had slept with another teacher with whom he had recently been in a relationship.

Ieuan Rees, for the prosecution said: “The evidence of his wife and the admissions he made to her suggested Mr Felton had been in a relationship with another member of staff and had recently discovered he was the father of her child. Furthermore, he believed that Mr Pyke had now begun his own relationship with that lady.”

Following the incident on March 5 this year, Felton threw the wrench away and left the school in his car. He then sent an email to all staff apologising “for the problems and distress his actions were likely to cause”.

Felton, who according to an annual report from the governing body was appointed headteacher in September 2023. In a victim impact statement, Mr Pyke told the court he would live with the attack for the rest of his life, saying it had taken “what made me, me”.

“I trusted you completely,” he said. “I had no idea that you held anything against me, I thought we were trusted work colleagues who over many years had built up a relationship of respect and understanding.”

He added: “The fear that you could attempt to do me such harm, smiling at me just seconds before, will always be with me.”

During sentencing at Swansea Crown Court, Judge Paul Thomas KC said said an attack by a head on their deputy was “I suspect, entirely without precedent” and was the result of “overwhelming sexual jealousy”.

“That a headmaster of a school should take and use a weapon to try to badly injure their deputy, is I suspect, entirely without precedent,” he said. “You are more than intelligent enough to realise when you plotted this bizarre attack that the impact and ramifications would be immense and far-reaching.”

While John Hipkin KC, speaking for the defence, said Felton had recently suffered due to the death of his mother and a cancer diagnosis, the judge argued his actions were due to jealousy.

He said: “Ultimately, the trigger for your act of extreme violence was of your own doing, the overwhelming sexual jealousy arising from an adulterous affair and the uncontrollable rage it created in you.”

Following Felton’s release, a Prison Service spokesperson, who confirmed he had been released on an unspecified date in August this year, said: “Offenders released on Home Detention Curfew are subject to strict conditions and must be tagged. If they break the rules they will be sent back to prison."