In a heartbreaking court session in Melbourne, a judge struggled to contain his emotions while delivering the sentence for a 19-year-old involved in the fatal stabbing of a fellow teenager. In May 2023, Pasawm Lyhym, a 16-year-old boy who was unarmed and trying to escape, was attacked with a 35-centimetre knife during a clash between two groups of teenagers. Tragically, he succumbed to his injuries at a bus stop in Sunshine, coinciding with school pick-up time.
The perpetrator, then aged 17, fled following the incident but voluntarily surrendered to the police 12 days later. Today, the now 19-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was sentenced to 13 years in prison, with a non-parole period of eight years. Judge Michael Croucher acknowledged the offender’s “excellent prospects of rehabilitation” but highlighted the severe repercussions of knife crime, asserting that carrying such weapons must end.
Lyhym’s family attended the hearing, expressing their grief through victim impact statements that brought many, including the judge, to tears. In their poignant words, the family lamented the unbearable silence that filled their home, saying, “his laughter replaced by tears and heartbreak,” and lamented that “no parent should have to bury his or her child.”
As Judge Croucher read the family’s statements, he was visibly moved, often wiping away tears. He remarked on the tragic nature of the case, suggesting that the young ages of those involved contributed to the profound impact it had on him. His sentencing explanation concluded with the acknowledgment that this incident was a deeply saddening case.
The 19-year-old’s official sentencing is set for the following Friday, and the parole board will determine whether he will be placed in an adult prison or a youth detention facility. This case serves as a grim reminder of the devastating effects of youth violence and the urgent need to address knife crime in society.