A man who broke his housemate's nose in a "bizarre" and unprovoked attack was experiencing delusions and hallucinations he has attributed to an issue with his jaw.
Brendan Darryl Girdler, 25, wore an Akubra at the bar table as he was sentenced in the ACT Magistrates Court on Wednesday to a series of 12-month good behaviour orders.
He had previously pleaded guilty to three charges, including an assault occasioning actual bodily harm described by magistrate Glenn Theakston as "the most serious by far".
Court documents show a shirtless Girdler, who was living in Macgregor, approached another occupant of the property in December 2020 while that man was on the phone.
He punched the man in the face, neck and torso "without warning or provocation" and in defiance of pleas to stop, with the victim desperately asking him: "What for, brother?"
Another housemate phoned emergency services after hearing "the sound of fighting" and walking towards the noise to find "blood everywhere".
The victim, sporting a "displaced" nose and bruised left eye, later told police he felt scared during the incident. He described Girdler as having been "very angry".
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Sentencing Girdler on Wednesday, Mr Theakston said the incident was "bizarre enough" that he had previously seen fit to refer the 25-year-old to the ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal for consideration of a psychiatric treatment order.
The magistrate said one of these had since been made, noting he had received a mental health report in which the author opined that the assault was "directly related to some delusions and hallucinations [Girdler] was experiencing at the time".
Legal Aid lawyer Edward Chen had earlier told the court Girdler believed his mental health issues were "precipitated by a jaw issue".
Mr Theakston, after reading a letter from the offender's dentist, said there appeared to be some basis for Girdler's "preoccupation with his jaw".
The magistrate ultimately found Girdler's mental health issues reduced the 25-year-old's moral culpability, also noting Mr Chen's submission that there had been no "incidents of concern" since the offender was granted bail 10 months ago.
Girdler will be subject to probation for up to nine months as part of one of his three good behaviour orders.
