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Melbourne Teacher Jailed 15 Months for Knife Attack on School Principal

The court weighed a mental health crisis against the risk to a campus community.

Overview

  • Kim Ramchen, sentenced Monday at Melbourne Magistrates' Court, received 15 months in prison with a non-parole period of eight months and 14 days.
  • In December 2025 he attacked Keysborough Secondary College principal Aaron Sykes after grabbing a 10-centimetre kitchen knife, left, then returned with a larger chef's knife before staff restrained him.
  • Sykes suffered cuts to his face and arm and assistant principal Matthew Sloan was injured while intervening, with both treated at hospital.
  • The magistrate called the offending especially serious because it happened at school during hours, though the sentence reflected guilty pleas and medical evidence of autism and depressive disorders.
  • With about 160 days already served in custody, Ramchen will reach parole eligibility after eight months and 14 days, which could allow release as early as August.