A former Frome College teacher has been found guilty of launching a violent knife attack on a woman in broad daylight, after she ended their relationship.

Matthew Jones, 29, of Ivy Avenue, Southdown in Bath, previously taught sociology and history at Frome College. He is currently on remand and awaiting sentencing after admitting a charge of causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

The attack happened on the afternoon of Monday 26 February in a lane off Dransfield Way in Bath. Jones lured his former partner, 24-year-old Emma Kirk, to the meeting under the pretence of collecting back gifts. Once there, he launched what prosecutors described as a "brutal and frenzied attack", stabbing her 15 times to the neck, face, abdomen, head and hands. Both of her lungs were punctured in the assault.

Bristol Crown Court heard that Jones and Emma, who were both teachers, had briefly been in a relationship, but after she ended things, his behaviour became obsessive and frightening. The day before the attack, she messaged him saying, "I never want to hear from you again, you terrify me. I am so frightened of you."

Despite her fears, she agreed to meet him. When she arrived, she was met with violence.

Witnesses described seeing Jones throw her to the ground and stab her repeatedly, even as a woman with a child tried to intervene and began filming the incident. It took five members of the public to pull Jones off Emma and restrain him until police arrived. Even while being held, he continued to try and get back to her.

Emma was rushed to hospital for emergency surgery and was initially too injured to speak to police. She gave her first full account of the attack ten days later.

Jones initially claimed self-defence, telling officers he had not meant to hurt her. However, he later admitted he had stabbed her deliberately, though he denied trying to kill her.

On Wednesday 2 April, after two days of deliberation, a jury at Bristol Crown Court found Jones not guilty of attempted murder and possession of a knife, but he had already pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

He will be sentenced at Bristol Crown Court on Friday 9 May.