Swansea stabbing: man jailed for unprovoked attack on Morgan Hopkins

A Swansea Crown Court sentenced Kane Evans to 17 years and six months in prison after he stabbed Morgan Hopkins 10 times in an unprovoked attack outside the New Lodge social club in Gorseinon, Swansea, in the early hours of 22 June 2025. Judge Paul Thomas KC described the assault as 'murderous, ferocious and persistent' as he handed down the sentence.

Evans had a preceding confrontation with people in a car outside the club, and Morgan Hopkins, then 18, had stepped in to try to calm the situation. A couple of hours later, Evans approached Hopkins with a kitchen knife outside the social club and launched a frenzied and unprovoked attack, stabbing him 10 times. CCTV shown at the sentencing hearing captured Hopkins running from Evans and seeking help inside the club. Evans was heard to say to his partner afterward, 'he's lucky that's all he got.'

Medical staff fought to save Hopkins at Swansea’s hospital, where doctors discovered a severed bowel and sepsis. Part of the bowel had to be removed, and the knife also severed about half the tendons and nerves in his arm, including his triceps and bicep. The injuries required lengthy surgery and ongoing treatment, and doctors cautioned that recovery would extend beyond the immediate aftermath of the attack.

Six months on, Hopkins — a keen rugby player — has yet to return to playing but has begun coaching instead. His mother, Victoria Hopkins, describes the episode as a 'horror story' and says she was grateful to have a healthy son this Christmas. She recalled the moment she learned of the attack: 'this isn’t even happening' after receiving the call from the hospital. She said she initially wondered if her son had done something wrong, before understanding the gravity of the situation. 'Not that I blamed him, but I just wanted a reason why someone would stab him 10 times in an unprovoked attack,' she said. Morgan’s father, Charlie Hopkins, and the rest of the family have supported him through a difficult recovery, with a focus on rebuilding his life and opportunities.

The Crown Prosecution Service described the attack as sustained and brutal, noting that knife violence often has fatal consequences and expressing hope for Hopkins’s full recovery. Morgan himself delivered an impact statement in court, saying the incident had derailed his dreams of becoming a professional rugby player and posing a significant setback for his future. He spoke of fear during the incident and the lasting physical and emotional effects of his injuries.

Evans remains in custody, with the court also imposing five years on licence after release. The sentence reflects the seriousness of a case that left Hopkins with life-altering injuries but spared him from the worst outcome, and it underscores ongoing concerns about knife crime and the impact on victims and their families.