Crown prosecutor David Cordy said general deterrence must be a major consideration in sentencing.

"There is an epidemic of family violence in our community at the moment and no one seems to be listening," he said.

Offender Peter Jez's defence barrister Graeme Davis made submissions to the court that his client's psychiatric issues explained his violent and frenzied outburst.

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The 32-year-old was inside his ex-partner's house when she returned home with her new boyfriend in December 2019.

Jez kicked the man in the ribs when he was on the ground and verbally abused the woman, grabbing her at times, saying they should be together and she should not be with this new man.

The violence escalated when the woman told Jez their relationship was over and he grabbed a serrated knife from the kitchen bench and chased her new boyfriend around the house.

Jez stabbed the man him five times, in the back of his neck, in the back of his shoulder, in the side of his stomach and twice in his leg.

Judge David Sexton said during a further plea hearing at the County Court in Ballarat on Thursday it was a protracted incident and had 'all the hallmarks' of family violence.

"That is an aggrieved man who has an inability to accept reality and finds himself participating in serious violence," he said.

"It is a serious example of family violence... with a female victim in her home. It is appalling conduct."

Mr Davis said the attack was not pre-planned and happened in the moment.

Jez told police he was defending himself after the man hit him in the head with a baseball bat.

He said Jez's reaction was 'certainly way over the top', but his reaction would not have been like this had Jez been in a healthy psychological state.

He said Jez had post traumatic stress disorder and depression.

"It seems things have got out of control and can be explained by his psychiatric presentation," Mr Davis said.

Crown prosecutor David Cordy said Jez must have known even going to the house was a 'recipe for disaster'.

He said the attack went on for some time before the stabbing, including chasing the victim around the kitchen table while his ex-partner tried to stop him.

"He must have had some idea of what he was doing and how serious it was when he picked up the knife and said 'watch what I will do now then'," Mr Cordy said.

"He was thinking clearly enough to put in words what he was intending to do. He has insight into how serious it was when he says 'I am going to go away for this'.

"The problems he had really don't go far enough to explain what happened here."

Jez appeared via video link from custody wearing a suit for the court hearing.

He was taken into custody at the last hearing in early May after spending one year and seven months on bail. Before that he spent nine months in custody.

Jez has pleaded guilty to assault and recklessly causing injury and will return to court for sentencing next week.