The offender was found guilty of aggravated assault and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose after attacking a friend with a meat cleaver.
The court considered the offender's severe PTSD from the Sri Lankan civil war and his alcoholism, alongside the unprovoked and vicious nature of the attack.
The court imposed a 4-year sentence for the aggravated assault, but granted 11 months of credit for onerous pre-sentence release conditions (Downes credit) and 10 months and 20 days for pre-sentence custody (Summers credit), resulting in a net sentence of 26 months and 10 days.