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A teenager who was interested in Adolf Hitler had been considered for referral to the anti-terror programme Prevent before she stabbed three people at her school, a report has revealed.
The 13-year-old had a curiosity for war memorabilia and the Nazi dictator, a fascination with weapons and claimed to speak German and Russian.
After she was found with a knife at Ysgol Dyffryn Aman in Ammanford, Carmarthenshire, a referral to the government’s anti-terror scheme was discussed but not pursued. The girl later armed herself with her father’s multi-tool and attacked two teachers, Fiona Elias and Liz Hopkin, and a pupil in April last year.
After her arrest, she told police: “That’s one way to be a celebrity.” She said: “I’m pretty sure this is going to be on the news, so more eyes will be looking at me.”
The girl was sentenced in April at Swansea crown court to 15 years’ detention after being found guilty of three charges of attempted murder.
A multi-agency report was commissioned by Carmarthenshire county council and Mid and West Wales safeguarding board. The report examined the two years before the incident and found that although a lot of information was known about the girl – referred to as Child A – it had not been shared between agencies.
Gladys Rhodes White, the report’s author, said: “Child A is seen as ‘quirky’ and ‘not quite fitting in’, having unusual interests in war memorabilia, Hitler, a fascination with weapons and purporting to speak German and Russian. Her father describes her as loving to read, research things and having a fertile imagination, creating fantasies.
“Following the first knife possession incident, there were discussions regarding whether a referral to Prevent should be made due to concerns that Child A may have the potential to be radicalised. There is no evidence to suggest a referral was made.
“Whilst Child A may not have met the criteria for Prevent, this triggered an action for an early help assessment to be offered to holistically understand Child A’s needs. This referral was made and the team contacted the father, who declined the assessment. Had this assessment occurred, this may have been a pathway through which agencies could consider alternative help, or for monitoring and support to be provided.”
The girl had taken a ball bearing gun in her bag to a previous school. After moving to Ysgol Dyffryn Aman, she threatened to use a knife on another pupil and her father agreed to carry out daily bag checks. Later, she was suspended for several days after being found with a knife in her schoolbag.
Teachers at Ysgol Dyffryn Aman said they had not known much about the girl and her history and what they had known related to her “emotional and behavioural needs”.
On the day of the attacks, pupils knew she had a knife with her but had not informed any teachers, the report said.
The girl’s father told the review author he felt “services” had let her and the family down. The report said: “He described occasions when he tried to get help for Child A in dealing with her emotional and behavioural issues and felt none of the services understood Child A and her needs. He feels it is only since her conviction that she has started to receive help.”
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In her conclusions, Rhodes White said: “Each agency had their own pieces of the jigsaw. In collating all the pieces of the jigsaw, there is a much clearer picture of the extent of concerns around Child A’s state of mind and her associated behaviours. It is important to note that no information held by agencies identified a clear ability to foresee the shocking and unexpected events which occurred in April 2024.”
She said there needed to be more effective information-sharing between agencies and also a focus on how children who did not meet the threshold for Prevent were supported.
Rhodes White added: “This is particularly pertinent for children who may be transitioning from one school to another, or when parents do not accept non-statutory help.”
In a joint statement, Carmarthenshire county council, the school, Dyfed-Powys police and Hywel Dda University health board said they would be addressing the report’s recommendations.
They said: “We acknowledge the challenging and difficult circumstance faced by the victims and the whole community of Ysgol Dyffryn Aman in the aftermath of the incident. We would like to pay tribute to the pupils, teachers, staff and parents of Ysgol Dyffryn Aman.
“The school’s strong sense of community and empathy has enabled students to return to their classrooms promptly and safely, with their wellbeing promoted at all times.”
