Michael Dawson appeared via videolink in the Melbourne County Court on Monday, after remaining in custody since the day of the offending on December 19, 2019.

Judge Paul Lacava noted that the now-29-year-old had spent the entire pandemic in prison.

Of the 920 days since then, the judge said 152 had been served for an offence he was sentenced to earlier this year - and 768 days were to be treated as time already served for the current sentence.

"All of that time has been spent during the existing pandemic and that includes limitations on visitors and educational courses for prisoners," he said.

"All of this must be taken into account when sentencing."

The court was told the then-26-year-old was on bail - and had been out drinking - when he went two co-offenders to demand payment from a man who owed them money.

"Your offending was clearly serious," Judge Lacava said.

"You forced your way into a home in the middle of the night and you armed yourself with a beer bottle.

"I accept that you did not know the victim - but you were there to make up the numbers.

"Your offending was aggravated by the fact you were on bail."

The court was told Dawson banged on the front door and had a short conversation with the victim before Dawson grabbed the car keys from an area close to the entry.

The victim then grabbed the keys back and locked himself inside the house before the door was broken down and the keys to the Nissan Navara taken again, Judge Lacava said.

The victim was assaulted with a beer bottle and suffered a fractured skull and eye socket injuries among others, the court was told.

A police pursuit then followed.

Judge Lacava said after the car was stopped in Beverin Street Sebastopol, Dawson ran off and tried to resist arrest, with an officer later treated for concussion, cuts and shoulder injuries.

He said the now-29-year-old experienced family violence, an alcoholic father, parental separation and bullying as a child - and as an adult had been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Autism and Tourette's Syndrome.

"Excessive alcohol abuse has characterised your life since the age of 17," he said.

"A psychologists report says that you have been escaping your depression and anxiety through drinking alcohol to excess."

Judge Lacava said Dawson had pleaded guilty at a reasonably early stage - and this was also taken into account during sentencing.

He pleaded guilty to home invasion, recklessly causing serious injury, car theft, resisting an emergency worker (police) and committing an indictable offence while on bail.

"If it had not been for your pleas of guilty, I would have sentenced you to 6 years," the judge said.

"I also accept that you are remorseful for your conduct."

The court was also told that at the time he pleaded guilty to the December 2019 charges, he also admitted to 11 other unrelated offences including robbery and burglary, resulting in a separate sentence handed out in May 2022.

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