A MARRIED headmaster who fathered a love child with a teacher and attacked his deputy with a spanner has broken his silence.
The astonishing love triangle led to Dr Anthony John Felton being sentenced to two years and four months in jail after he assaulted his rival in a jealous rage.
The 54-year-old has now spoken out for the first time, saying he regretted attacking Richard Pyke “immediately” and dreams of apologising to him.
Felton said he had dreaded his time behind bars – but ended up forming “genuine friendships” in HMP Swansea and is determined to move forward because he “can’t change the past”.
He said everyone knew his name because of how high-profile his case was, and many even “praised” him for his appalling actions.
The dad-of-four battered his deputy head, 51, with a spanner at St Joseph’s Catholic School in Port Talbot, South Wales in March last year.
He launched into a rage after discovering they were both having an affair with the same woman – who was also a teacher.
Richard was sitting on a chair as Felton paced behind him before pouncing and hitting his deputy with a spanner several times.
The deputy was rushed to hospital with head injuries following the attack, which was captured on the school’s CCTV.
Swansea Crown Court heard there was “unique background” to the case.
The pair had been friends for several years but had become entangled in a love triangle.
Felton had a child with the female teacher without his wife, Maria – who taught Religious and Sex education at the school – having any idea.
He has since been released from HMP Swansea after serving just six months.
Writing in prison newspaper Inside Time, the disgraced headmaster said he was terrified, and feared being “raped or beaten up”.
He asked for support for his “childhood and adult trauma as well as a hidden private life” while inside.
“I had already lost my career, purpose, and much of the trust of family, friends, and colleagues,” he wrote in the newspaper.
Due to how high-profile his case was, almost everyone at HMP Swansea knew who he was.
Astonishingly, he said inmates flocked to speak to him and even “praised” him for what he did.
Despite dreading his time inside, he wrote that he was shown kindness and he will even miss some parts of prison life after having an “emotional exit” and having made “genuine friendships” while inside.
The ex-teacher said he had “family and friends willing to stand by me” after he was released.
Sentencing Felton last year for attempted grievous bodily harm with intent, Judge Paul Thomas said: “Mr Pyke thought he was your friend. Your victim.
“He was struck from behind having been lured by you into what was in effect an ambush.
“The psychological, emotional and professional impact on him was profound.”
Felton was appointed head at the 900-pupil school in 2023 after running the maths department for 17 years.
In March last year, “jealous” Felton had recently fathered a child with his mistress and lured his love rival into a room before attacking him.
He told Richard to read an email – meaning his back was turned.
Footage shows him taking the spanner from his pocket and repeatedly battering Richard without any warning.
Richard, who had been facing away from the headteacher, was then seen desperately trying to wrench the weapon away from Felton.
The thug shouted out “you know what you’ve done” and accused him of sleeping with his lover.
The violent assault only came to an end when a staff member rushed in – causing Felton to calm down.
Richard suffered swelling to the back of the scalp, a headache, nausea and dizziness in the attack.
Shortly after the attack, the headteacher emailed colleagues saying: “Dear staff, the greatest mistake I made was appointing ******* ******* in various roles.
“She has slept her way to the top, currently engaging in sexual activity with at least 2 current members of the SLT (School Leadership Team) including Richard Pyke.
“I’m sorry for the distress the rest of the day will bring. I am sorry.
“You are good people and do an amazing job for our community.
“Goodbye, John.”
His own barrister, John Hipkin KC, said the horror was a “spectacular fall from grace to say the least”.
In a victim impact statement, Richard said Felton abused his “complete trust” to “manoeuvre me into a position of utter vulnerability.
He added: “I am still in freefall from the trauma of this. I thought the lights were falling in on me when the first blows struck me on the back of the head.
“I remember asking you several times: ‘What are you doing John?’
“Before realising my only hope was to yell for help. In the moments of debilitating flashbacks I still have I sob the same question: how could you do something like that?
“In the immediate aftermath I was completely bewildered by what you’ve done. I know now that was the real you. I didn’t see that until it was almost too late which terrifies me still.
“My emotions swung wildly, I developed a stutter. The impact of your attack will be with me forever.”
Abul Hussain, from the Crown Prosecution Service said: “Anthony Felton struck a defenceless man repeatedly to the head with a metal weapon, demonstrating he had an intent to cause his victim really serious harm.
“The level of unprovoked violence, from a professional in the workplace, was shocking.
“Too often we see attacks of this nature result in life changing injuries or fatal consequences, and thankfully, that was not the result in this case.”
