A Melbourne teenager hid a tomahawk under a couch months before he used it to attack his uncle.
Gareth Mark Munday didn't get on well with his uncle, Colin Rowlings, when they lived in Upper Ferntree Gully together with other relatives including Munday's mother.
Munday, aged 18 at the time of the attack last year, grabbed his tomahawk and swung it at the back of Mr Rowlings' head after Mr Rowlings told him he wouldn't care if the teenager jumped in front of a train, the Supreme Court of Victoria heard.
He slashed Mr Rowlings' face after his uncle turned around, and only stopped and fled when his sister intervened.
Mr Rowlings suffered a wound to the scalp, a deep cut to his left eyelid and a shattered cheekbone.
News that makes sense
Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.
Munday, who served 407 days in prison before his sentence, was handed an additional three-year community corrections order and released on Monday.
He was initially charged with attempted murder, but pleaded guilty to one count of recklessly causing serious injury.
Justice Terry Forrest said Mr Rowlings' comment about the train was foolish, but it didn't warrant such an explosive response.
The court heard Munday suffered from a psychotic disorder and was likely psychotic when he launched at his uncle, which meant his inhibitions and judgment were lowered.
Munday has no prior criminal history.
His CCO includes a drug ban, mental health assessment treatment, monitoring and a fixed residential address.
* Readers seeking support can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.
