A Buddhist monk who attacked his boss with a nail gun before turning the weapon on himself does not understand or remember what he did because he now lives with a traumatic brain injury, a court has heard.
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The 32-year-old man, who cannot be named, was living at a temple in Rossmore in Sydney's west in October 2014 after he moved to Australia from Vietnam two years earlier.
He helped out with computers at the temple and assisted with construction of a new part of the building, while the temple's president Tha Lam helped him to apply for a visa.
In September 2014, he became angry when he was told he did not meet the requirements for the visa and went to Mr Lam's home, but the older man was not there.
Six weeks later, at about 2.45pm on October 29, he invited Mr Lam into his room to look at invitations he had made on his computer.
Mr Lam ran from the room shortly afterwards with a nail protruding from his head that had penetrated into his brain. The perpetrator shot several nails into his own head in an attempt to end his life.
Both men survived and now live with life-changing injuries.
In September, the man was found guilty of wounding with intent to murder at a special judge-alone hearing. He had previously been found unfit to enter a plea of guilty or not guilty on the basis of his brain injury.
At a sentencing hearing on Friday, District Court judge Sharron Norton said the crime was serious and left the victim with "significant and lifelong" injuries.
In a victim impact statement, Mr Lam said he has a lack of feeling on the left-hand side of his body, finds food has no taste, and has frequent headaches and flashbacks, symptoms he believes are getting worse.
He has been unable to work since the attack, leaving his family to look after him.
"I accept the victim has ongoing physical and psychological impairments as a result of the discharge of a nail into his head," Judge Norton said.
"I have found the actions were intentional."
The man who carried out the attack is unable to recall events, people or feelings and has "considerable disabilities" as a result of his actions.
He had not committed any previous offences before the attack and was a person of good character, the court heard.
In sentencing the man, Judge Norton said he would have been imprisoned if he had been able to face a regular trial instead of a special hearing.
He was ordered to live at a facility in western Sydney and given a limiting term of 10 years - a special sentencing provision for forensic patients.
The matter was referred to the Mental Health Review Tribunal.
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