A weekly’s court reporter witnessed a convicted sex offender slit his own throat in the dock.

The Western Telegraph journalist believed Lukasz Pawlowksi, pictured left, was going to die after he made “frantic jabs” at his neck while appearing before magistrates in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, for sentencing after pleading guilty to sexual assault by grabbing and kissing a shop assistant.

Polish-born Pawlowski, 33, survived the incident, but remains in a serious condition in Swansea’s Morriston Hospital, where he has been arrested by police on suspicion of possession of a blade.

The reporter, who does not want to be identified, recounted her experience in a story on the Telegraph’s website.

She wrote: “Suddenly everyone in the courtroom turned as he made stabbing motions at his neck. He made several frantic jabs at his throat. The alarm was raised and the clerk rang the emergency services while court staff rushed in to administer first aid.

“I couldn’t see what he had in his hand, but some-one shouted ‘he’s got a knife’, and people came rushing into the room. It was difficult to believe what was happening, I was shocked, there was a moment where I thought he was going to die right in front of me.

“I’m not sure if he lost consciousness, I could hear the paramedics calling his name. Two nurses who were in the building were called in to the room to help, and applied pressure to the wound.

“That’s when it became apparent that he was losing quite a lot of blood.

“It all happened so quickly, the paramedics and police were on the scene really quickly and treated him in the dock as the court was sealed off.

“It was a surreal situation, and I think everyone was quite shaken, but the court staff were very supportive and professional throughout.”