A man who brutally hacked at his victim's legs with a machete, severing tendons and breaking off sections of bone, has been sentenced to five years and three months imprisonment.
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Ivan Terrence Torbert, then 36, had known his victim for about six months before the attack in September last year.
The pair had gone to Cash Converters the previous day to pawn a bike, and Torbert later accused the man of stealing something from his car.
Torbert texted the man, saying: "You lose thief... where do you want to meet me, in your house say in a few minutes, be there or be scared."
The next day the victim was at a friend's place repairing a flat tyre on his bike.
While he stood over the bike, Torbert approached him and swung the machete at the base of his right leg.
It instantly severed the man's Achilles tendon.
He stumbled backwards in pain, falling to the ground, while blood poured from the wound.
Torbert stood over him holding the machete raised at head height and yelled:
"You're finished."
The victim blocked further blows, aimed at his head and chest, using a bicycle tyre.
But the weapon cut fingers on his right hand, causing ligament damage.
He tried to stand up but Torbert again swung the machete at him, this time severing a tendon on his left leg and breaking off a section of bone.
The victim yelled for help, and his dogs began barking, prompting other residents to come outside.
Torbert left the scene, and the victim was taken to hospital.
Acting Justice David Robinson, on Friday, sentenced Torbert to five years and three months for the crime.
He will not be eligible for release until October 2017.
Torbert has a long history of drug and alcohol issues, and has been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia.
His mental health was a key consideration in sentencing, and was found to lower his moral culpability.
