Melbourne Teacher Indicates Guilty Plea in Violent School Stabbing Case
A Melbourne teacher accused of stabbing his school principal has indicated he will plead guilty and is currently negotiating the terms of his plea with prosecutors. Kim Ramchen, 37, faces five serious charges including recklessly engaging in conduct, intentionally causing injury, and assault with a weapon following the violent incident at Keysborough College in December 2025.
Court Proceedings and Mental Health Assessment
Ramchen was scheduled to appear at Dandenong Magistrates Court on Wednesday via video link from prison but did not appear for the brief hearing. His lawyer, Ruth Parker, informed the court that Ramchen was aware of the proceedings and they proceeded in his absence. Parker revealed that a psychological report had been prepared after concerns were raised about Ramchen's mental fitness to stand trial.
During a previous hearing in February, the court was told that Ramchen had been diagnosed with autism, schizophrenia spectrum disorders, and PTSD, but was not unwell while in custody. At that time, Parker expressed concerns that he might not be fit to provide instructions on how to proceed with his case.
On Wednesday, Parker presented a fresh psychiatric report that found Ramchen had "very serious issues" but was nevertheless fit to give instructions. She noted that Ramchen had met with one of her staff members on Tuesday to discuss his case.
The Violent Incident at Keysborough College
The charges stem from a violent altercation at Keysborough College where Ramchen, an IT teacher who had been working at the school for two years, allegedly armed himself with a knife from the school kitchen and stabbed principal Aaron Sykes. The attack occurred after Ramchen was informed that his contract would not be renewed for 2026.
According to court documents, after finishing his final class at 3pm, Ramchen allegedly walked into Sykes' office armed with a large knife taken from a staff kitchen drawer. He then allegedly stabbed the principal repeatedly in the forearm and held the knife to his throat.
Assistant principal Matthew Sloan rushed into the office after hearing a scream and found Ramchen kneeling on top of Sykes. Sloan allegedly grabbed Ramchen's wrist and pulled him off, causing him to drop the knife and flee the room.
School Lockdown and Additional Violence
As the school went into lockdown, Ramchen allegedly grabbed a second kitchen knife and waved it in Sykes' face. Several teachers eventually tackled Ramchen to the ground after wrestling with him and pinning him down. He was restrained until police arrived at the scene.
Principal Aaron Sykes was rushed to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries sustained during the attack. Ramchen's fingers were reportedly cut as the blade was forced from his hand during the struggle.
Legal Proceedings and Family Background
Magistrate Frances Medina has scheduled a one-hour plea hearing for April 29 at Dandenong Magistrates Court, where Ramchen will appear remotely from prison. While Ramchen has indicated he will plead guilty, he has not yet formally entered a guilty plea.
Defense lawyer Ruth Parker confirmed she is in discussions with the prosecution about the plea and still needs to make a formal offer regarding what specific charges Ramchen will plead guilty to. "We understand the matter is likely to resolve," Parker told the court.
The court also heard about Ramchen's tragic family background. He is the son of former Price Is Right host Jacqui Ramchen, who disappeared in 1992. His late father was charged over her killing until a magistrate found there was insufficient evidence to commit him to trial.
Ramchen's brother, Lev, told the court in December that Kim had taken on a parental role within the family after his mother disappeared and his father died from cancer when he was just 14 years old.
