Slain teacher was due to retire in months; schoolboy still to be questioned

A much-loved teacher who was knifed in front of pupils in England died from multiple stab wounds, a post-mortem examination has confirmed.

A much-loved teacher who was knifed in front of pupils in England was due to retire in a matter of months.

A post-mortem examination has confirmed that Ann Maguire, 61, died from multiple stab wounds

A 15-year-old boy remains in custody following the death of the Spanish teacher who was fatally injured at Corpus Christi Catholic College in Leeds yesterday morning.

Detective Superintendent Simon Beldon, of West Yorkshire Police, said the teenager will be questioned by officers “at some point during today”.

Speaking at a press conference outside the school, he said: “Given his young age, this is a process which needs to be handled very sensitively, and may take some time to complete.

“The pupils who witnessed this incident are still being interviewed by specialist officers and are very experienced in dealing with child witnesses and will ensure that their safety is paramount.

“This is clearly an unprecedented and tragic incident which has left the school and wider community in a state of shock.”

Mrs Maguire’s death, after more than 40 years’ teaching at the school, is thought to be the first time a teacher has been stabbed to death in a British classroom, and the first killing of a teacher in a school since the 1996 Dunblane massacre.

Mr Beldon said the forensic examination of the scene has now been completed.

The school has remained open today and pupils and staff are being offered specialist support.

Nigel Richardson, director of children's services at Leeds City Council, paid tribute to Mrs Maguire as an ``amazing, inspirational teacher'' who was an ``asset'' to the city.

He told reporters: “Our thoughts and sympathies are with Ann’s family, friends and colleagues at this difficult time.

“Ann was an amazing, inspirational teacher, and a pillar of the local community and a real asset to the city of Leeds.”

He said it was the “right decision” to keep the school open so the community could come together to support one another.

Chief Inspector Nik Adams, who leads neighbourhood policing in the area, paid tribute to all the staff and pupils for coming in.

He said: “This is an horrific incident. It’s unprecedented nationally but very much in this local community it’s something which has caused a great deal of shock and distress, as you can imagine.

“This is very much an isolated incident. This is not part of a wider problem that exists locally here.”

Martin Dowling, chair of governors at the school, said Mrs Maguire was due to retire in September and had only been working four days a week.

He said there was a “calm and reverent” atmosphere at the school today.

“The children have been absolutely amazing this morning, we’ve had assemblies, services and the children have responded in a magnificent manner, as have the staff also,” he told the press conference.

“The best way we could support our students and our staff was for us all to be together and for us to do that as a whole.”

He emphasised that the stabbing was an “tragic but isolated incident” and there had been “no indications at all” that it would happen.

“Ann was a wonderful, dedicated teacher and will be remembered fondly by all of us,” he said.

“She had taught at Corpus Christi for 40 years and touched the lives of many people in the local community, having also taught the parents of some of our current pupils.”

He said it would be “very difficult” for the school to move on as Mrs Maguire was a “very popular and long-serving member of staff”.

Mr Adams said the school had been found to have “absolutely no issues in terms of weapons”.