Garry Gathercole appeared in the dock of the Ballarat Magistrates Court last week to be sentenced for the September 10 stabbing.

The Ballarat man, aged in his 50s, stabbed the home-based carer in the hand with a knife days after he was released from a supervised facility.

The victim ran from Gathercole's house screaming, thinking she was going to die, magistrate Letizia Torres said.

She said Gathercole, a schitzophrenic who sometimes took his medication, could have killed the carer and described his behaviour as very serious.

"This offending has changed her life in many ways and she wil have mental and physical scars fo the rest of ther life," Ms Torres said.

She said Gathercole had prior criminal offences relating to anti-social behaviours, including an incident where he harmed another carer.

"He's not a good vehicle for general deterrence but specific deterrence is still relevant. Protection of the community has become a very important factor in sentencing," Ms Torres said.

Gathercole was sentenced to eight months' imprisonment, followed by an 18-month community correction order when he is released.

The order will include supervision and medical treatment.

He has already served 198 days of the sentence through pre-sentence detention. Gathercole pleaded guilty to recklessly casuing serious injury at an earlier hearing.

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