Stabbed teacher Vincent Uzomah speaks about Bradford attack

A teacher who was stabbed by a 14-year-old pupil in a classroom has said he feared he would die after the attack.

Speaking to BBC Newsnight, Vincent Uzomah said he prayed "God, don't let me die" as he ran to look for help after being stabbed in the stomach.

The boy - who cannot be named - has been sentenced to 11 years detention for the attack at Dixons Kings Academy in Bradford on 11 June.

Mr Uzomah, 50, said he was still too traumatised to return to teaching.

"I was just thinking is it my time to die? Is this my last hour? I didn't say goodbye to my wife, my little kids," he said.

Passion for teaching

The boy racially abused the father-of-three before stabbing him with a kitchen knife he had brought to school.

Mr Uzomah said he did not realise what had happened until he saw the knife being pulled out from his stomach.

"I looked around for help and there was nobody around. I felt if I stayed in the classroom probably the worst would happen and I started feeling cold inside so I held it tightly and started running towards the reception.

"I just prayed 'God, don't let me die'. I was really frightened."

Mr Uzomah said he and his family had forgiven the boy despite the pain he had caused them

At the boy's sentencing, Bradford Crown Court heard how the teenager had discussed the attack with a friend beforehand and later made "sick" boasts about his actions on Facebook.

Mr Uzomah later criticised those people who had "liked" a status update from his attacker on the social networking site, which contained the line, "I stick a blade straight in his tummy".

He said: "It makes me feel like the society is drifting away from the normal way of life and if things are not really put into place to correct this, it will keep on getting worse."

But Mr Uzomah said although the attack had caused him and his family pain, he still felt some sympathy for the boy and had forgiven him.

He admitted that he was still too frightened to return to work, despite his passion for teaching.

"The way I'm feeling at the moment, I don't think I could step into the classroom. But I believe with time I will get over it," he said.

"If I go to the park and see some kids who look similar to the boy that stabbed me, for sure it's there. I feel the need to protect myself. It is really not a good feeling."

The boy was handed an 11-year extended sentence, which includes six years' detention and five years on licence.

He admitted causing grievous bodily harm with intent but denied attempted murder.