Teacher who stabbed love rival banned from profession

Clare Bailey was banned from teaching indefinitely after repeatedly stabbing her ex-lover's wife

A former teacher has been banned from the profession after hiding a large carving knife in a bunch of flowers and stabbing her ex-partner's wife.

Clare Bailey travelled from Dudley to Harrogate, disguised in a red wig, facemask and sunglasses, where she repeatedly stabbed the 43-year-old at her home in June 2022.

Bailey had been having an affair with the woman's husband but had "struggled to accept" it was over, police said.

On the day of the attack, Bailey rang the school where she worked, St Michael's Church of England High School, Rowley Regis, to tell them she was ill but instead went to the supermarket to buy the flowers needed to hide her knife.

A professional conduct panel heard how the jilted lover rang her ex-lover's doorbell and repeatedly stabbed the victim, even when she lay on the ground.

Bailey continued her attack despite the victim's daughter coming downstairs and trying to intervene before running for help.

The teacher then walked away from the house and drove back to the West Midlands where she was arrested three days later.

Doorbell CCTV footage showed Bailey with the bunch of flowers she used to conceal the carving knife

As a result of her injuries, the victim - who police referred to as Emma - underwent extensive surgery and spent more than a month in hospital.

In a statement released after Bailey's sentencing in June 2023, Emma said she was in "pain every day" and needed a wheelchair to travel long distances.

She said following the attack she suffered from flashbacks and nightmares and it had robbed her of her independence.

"I can't imagine what my daughter went through, to witness what she did, to try and stop the attack," she said.

"She is my hero, she will always be my little hero. I honestly don't think I would still be here if she hadn't been home that day."

Bailey disguised herself in a red wig, facemask and sunglasses for the attack, police said

Bailey, now 47, was jailed for 22 years and four months in 2023 after pleading guilty to attempted murder.

She told the professional conduct panel that the release date she had been provided with was May 2037 and she had an extra seven years on licence - by which time she would be 67 and “in no position to take up teaching again".

In written representations, Bailey stated she had never posed a threat or risk to any child she had ever taught and she felt she did not pose a risk to children or vulnerable adults

The 47-year-old also told the panel she had no memory of the attack so she had not yet developed insight as to the cause of her actions.

The professional conduct panel decided to ban Bailey from the profession indefinitely and prohibited her from applying to become eligible to teach again in the future.