For the first time, a school principal who was stabbed in the neck by a teacher who “mentally snapped” and stormed into his office after discovering his contract would not be renewed has talked about his experience.
Kim Ramchen, 37, guilty to wilfully causing injury, assault with a weapon, and illegal assault in connection with the stabbing at Keysborough College on December 2. He was sentenced to 15 months in prison by Melbourne Magistrates Court on Monday.
However, after serving 160 days of his eight-month and fourteen-day non-parole period in pre-sentence detention, the former IT teacher may be released from prison on parole as early as August.
Aaron Sykes, the principal of the school, suffered numerous injuries in the incident and hasn’t worked since.
“Their courage and professionalism in an extremely difficult situation were extraordinary,” he said in a statement on Monday. “A member of our library team provided immediate first aid, an assistant principal intervened to assist, and a member of our business team placed herself in harm’s way to protect others.” Mr. Sykes declined to comment on the legal outcome or process.
Ramchen wore a green prison tracksuit when he appeared in court via video link on Monday, and he looked straight ahead during the sentencing.
Kim Ramchen stabbed Aaron Sykes, the principal of Keysborough College, on December 2.
Ramchen used a bigger chef’s knife and a 10cm knife from the school’s kitchen to assault his boss.
He had marked the class roll and taken a 10cm knife from the school kitchen on the day he stabbed his boss. After that, he stormed into Mr. Sykes’ office and violently struck the principal in the neck with the knife.
After hearing yelling from Mr. Sykes’ office, assistant principal Matthew Sloan hurried down the hall and dragged Ramchen out of the room.
After Ramchen left, the school was put under lockdown. But he quickly came back with a bigger chef’s knife and punched Mr. Sykes while putting the blade to his neck and face on the ground.
Mr Sykes claimed that before his constable dragged the instructor away and wrestled him to the ground, he felt an adrenaline rush and shoved Ramchen off.
He needed to be subdued by multiple staff members before emergency personnel could arrive.
Mr. Sykes was taken to the hospital after fleeing the office, covered in blood and with injuries on his jaw, face, mouth, and forearm.
Mr. Sloan’s ear, cheek, jaw, and ribs were all cut.
The former IT instructor said in a police interview that he had “mentally snapped” and planned to “just incapacitate the principal.”
According to Ramchen (above), he “mentally snapped” and planned to “just incapacitate the principal.”
While kids were on the school grounds, Ramchen assaulted Mr. Sykes in his office (above).
Magistrate Timothy Bourke stated on Monday that Ramchen’s “unwarranted” offence was serious because it took place in a school setting with students on campus. “The offending has occurred in what should only ever be a safe place not just for students, but co-workers and the broader school community,” he said. “But for the bravery of Mr. Sloan, this could have been a far worse outcome for Mr. Sykes.”
In the past, defence attorney Amelia Beech claimed that Ramchen was experiencing a “catastrophic mental health crisis” that resulted from a broken upbringing, difficult adulthood, demanding parenthood, and untreated mental illness.
According to Ms. Beech, a forensic psychiatrist determined that Ramchen’s diagnoses of autism, depression, and anxious anxiety were “causally connected” to the crime.
According to the defence, he was unable to comprehend why his contract was not renewed at the time of the attack because his marriage was failing.
The 37-year-old is the son of Jacqui Ramchen, a former Price Is Right anchor who vanished in 1992.
Although a magistrate determined there was insufficient evidence to put his late father on trial, he was charged with her murder.
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