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February 4, 2026 — 1:43pm
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A teacher accused of stabbing the school’s principal may seek bail to undergo involuntary psychiatric treatment, a court has heard.
High school teacher Kim Ramchen, 37, faced Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday via video link from custody, where he is being housed at the Metropolitan Remand Centre.
Teacher Kim Ramchen was arrested after allegedly stabbing a Melbourne high school principal.Nine NewsHis lawyer, Ruth Parker, asked for more time to seek further mental health reports, flagging a potential recommendation for a course of involuntary psychiatric treatment for her client.
This, Parker said, could occur through the public system if her client was in the community and not on remand.
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“I’m concerned that my client has now been in custody for some time,” she said.
“It’s an unusual case.”
The court heard psychiatric reports could also be used to address the issue of risk if Ramchen sought to be released on bail.
Magistrate Meagan Keogh granted further time to the defence and varied an intervention order to prohibit the accused from going within 200 metres of his former workplace.
“Mr Ramchen, your next court date will be April 15. Your lawyer has asked for a slightly longer adjournment ... because she’s pursuing issues around treatment for you,” Keogh said.
Ramchen, who was dressed in a business shirt, nodded in reply.
The high school teacher is accused of walking into his principal’s office at Keysborough Secondary College on December 2 and holding a knife to his boss’s throat.
Ramchen was arrested at the scene.Nine NewsPolice allege this occurred after the 37-year-old learnt his contract would not be extended at the end of the school term, sparking a rage in which he attacked and injured principal Aaron Sykes at the Acacia campus in Melbourne’s outer south-east about 3pm.
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Earlier, the court heard Ramchen allegedly took a 10-centimetre knife from a kitchen opposite the principal’s office before launching an immediate attack.
He allegedly cut the principal’s lip and arm with the knife, and held the weapon to Sykes’ throat during the incident that placed the school into lockdown.
Police allege assistant principal Matthew Sloan heard screaming and pulled Ramchen off Sykes, before Ramchen left the room.
He then returned a second time, police allege, with the 37-year-old this time arming himself with a 30-centimetre knife from the staff kitchen and attacking Sykes a second time before being restrained by other staff.
The teacher later told police he “mentally snapped” and wanted to “completely incapacitate the principal”, the court was told.
Ramchen has since been charged with offences including assault and intentionally causing injury.
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Erin Pearson covers crime and justice for The Age.Connect via X or email.From our partners