A MAN is set to be released from jail almost two years after an unprovoked knife attack on another man who was in bed asleep in a Tamworth home.
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Dylan Fisher was sentenced in Armidale District Court to 34 months and 13 days behind bars, with a non-parole period of 21 months and 14 days, after pleading guilty to reckless wounding.
After time served, he will be eligible for parole today.
"I couldn't be happier," the 28-year-old told the court via video link from Clarence Correctional Centre.
"Thank you all."
Fisher gave evidence during his sentencing hearing that he had been on a special program to help get off drugs and had been clean in custody for 14 months.
"I've been tempted but I've turned away from it," he told the court.
"It's changed my whole aspect on life, my whole thought process, I've been able to go back through all the mistakes that I've made and the choices that I've made and I feel remorseful for them."
He said he had learned an "encyclopedia of things" and realised what he had done was wrong.
"I feel shameful about it, remorseful, I have, like, flashbacks of it on a daily basis," he said.
Public defender Stuart Bouveng acknowledged the offending involved some violence but said Fisher was quickly chased out of the home.
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He detailed to the court Fisher's troubled background and said he planned on living with family in a small village outside Tamworth when he was released.
His mother and brother had travelled to Armidale to support him in court.
The court heard Fisher had a criminal history and was affected by drugs at the time of the offending.
Crown prosecutor Lee Carr SC asked how Fisher planned to keep away from the group of people he had been hanging out with.
"I actually want to help myself and be there for my family, you know, instead of being around people like that," Fisher replied.
Mr Carr submitted Fisher seemed to have realised it's "now or never" to make changes but argued for a non-parole period to be imposed so he could be supervised and have assistance.
The court heard Fisher and the victim, a man in his 40s, were known to each other.
Judge Stephen Hanley read the agreed facts in the matter, and said Fisher had gone to a house on Goonoo Goonoo Road about 3.15am on February 20 last year.
He was pacing up and down and clearly on drugs before he went into a room the victim was asleep in and turned the light on, the court heard.
Fisher jumped on top of the victim, who thought they were just mucking around before realising Fisher had grabbed a serrated "saw" weapon.
The victim chased Fisher out but got dizzy and went to a nearby service station, where he was found with wounds to both armpit areas and his shoulder.
Police set up crime scenes.
The victim was taken to hospital and needed stitches, while Fisher was arrested but had also been hurt.
"The attack upon the victim was spontaneous ... the victim was in bed asleep," Judge Hanley said at sentencing.
"It was an unprovoked attack."
He said the offending was aggravated because the victim was vulnerable inside the house he was staying at, a knife was used and Fisher was on parole at the time.
He made a "significant finding" of special circumstances in the case.
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