Wales stabbing: Woman admits killing church warden in village shop

Zara Radcliffe was suffering from schizophrenia at time of attack, court hears

Forensic officers at the scene in Pen Y Graig in South Wales. (Ben Birchall/PA)

A woman has admitted killing an elderly church warden and trying to murder three other people during a knife attack in a shop.

Zara Anne Radcliffe, 30, was suffering from szhizophrenia at the time she attacked 88 year-old John Rees in the village of Pen Y Graig, Rhondda, South Wales.

Mr Rees, who had visited the Co-op store during lockdown while his wife Eunice waited outside in their car, died after suffering severe blunt force injuries to the face.

Three others - Andrew Price, Gaynor Saurin and Lisa Way - were also injured in the attack on 5 May this year.

On Monday afternoon Radcliffe, from Wyndham Street, Porth, appeared at Merthyr Crown Court by video link from Rampton high security hospital in Nottinghamshire to plead guilty to the manslaughter of Mr Rees by reason of diminished responsibility and three counts of attempted murder.

Michael Jones QC, prosecuting, said the pleas were acceptable to the crown because she was "profoundly mentally ill and unwell" at the time of the attack.

He said: "Those pleas represent, the Crown contend, the factual evidence in this case and the psychiatric evidence in this case, namely at the material time and currently, Miss Radcliffe suffers from schizophrenia.

"Those pleas have been very carefully considered by the prosecution and the police teams and they reflect the factual evidence in this case and the psychiatric evidence in this case and, therefore, we accept those pleas as entered."

Radcliffe will be sentenced on Wednesday at Merthyr Crown Court.

Mr Rees lived in the nearby village of Trealaw with his wife Eunice and was a church warden at All Saints Church.

In a statement after his death, his family said: "John was the very definition of a good man, extremely respected and liked in the community.

"He was proud of his family, proud to be a Welshman and devoted to All Saints Church.

"We will all miss him terribly."

Additional reporting by Press Association