Man left permanently disabled in stabbing

Mohammad Nejad says he was robbed of his independence and rejected by his community after his girlfriend's ex-husband stabbed him in a jealous rage in front of two children.

He was left with permanent nerve damage including a partially numb face and can no longer use his hands, Mr Nejad has told a Melbourne court.

"The crime has changed who I am as a person... It's taken my dreams and hopes for the future away," he said in a statement read to the Supreme Court on Thursday. 

"It has left me with a permanent disability and has disempowered (me) in every aspect."

He was stabbed by his girlfriend Sahar Seyedi's ex-husband, Ali Dastmozd, after he forced his way into her Mulgrave home on October 1, 2020. 

Dastmozd pulled a kitchen knife from his pocket while standing in front of Ms Seyedi and threatened to kill Mr Nejad, whom he had never met before, prosecutor Robyn Harper alleged.

He then barged into the lounge room and stabbed Mr Nejad five times, in front of Dastmozd and Ms Seyedi's two young children.

Dastmozd, who continues to deny the offending and claims Mr Nejad's wounds were self-inflicted, was found guilty of causing serious injury by a jury in August. 

Jurors acquitted him of the more serious charge of attempted murder.

Ms Harper said Dastmozd was not remorseful as he continued to deny his offending.

"This was a horrific episode of violence perpetrated in front of two very small children and the offender denies his offending even after the jury verdict," she told a pre-sentencing hearing.

"The motivation for this attack was jealousy."

Mr Nejad, who is originally from Iran, said the Persian community had rejected him and saw him as a criminal.

"I feel vilified by this crime and don't even feel as though I can ask them why. My image in the community has changed because of this crime and those people don't want anything to do with me now," he said.

He said he was left with significant nerve damage to his hands, face and arm, for which there is no treatment, and his scars were a constant reminder of the attack.

Dastmozd's barrister, Chris Edwards, said his client came from a difficult and disadvantaged background of abuse.

He said Dastmozd, who is also from Iran, was at the end of a five-year visa in Australia and faced deportation back to a country where he would likely be persecuted due to his faith. 

His lawyers asked the court not to impose a "crushing sentence" on him.

Justice Elizabeth Hollingworth will sentence Dastmozd, who remains in custody, at a later date.