Melbourne stabbing victims scarred forever

Two men who were nearly stabbed to death by the same homeless drug addict in Melbourne are self-conscious of their scars and avoid swimming, which they once loved.

John Samuel Thackray, 33, attacked John Anderson and Shaun Foo with a knife at their respective homes in South Yarra in March and July of 2016.

"These are crimes of quite shocking brutality that were carried out on these defenceless victims," prosecutor Andrew Tinney told a Victorian Supreme Court pre-sentence hearing on Monday.

Mr Anderson was attacked early one morning after he found Thackray asleep on the back porch of his house and calmly told him: "Time to go, buddy."

About four months later, Mr Foo was attacked outside his home after an altercation with Thackray.

Both men suffered multiple deep wounds and called out to their wives, who found their husbands covered in blood.

Paramedics raced to the aid of both men and surgeons saved their lives.

"Both suffered injuries that would've caused death in the absence of very prompt medical care," Mr Tinney said.

Mr Anderson - aged in his mid-50s - was stabbed in the chest, back and wrists, causing him to permanently lose strength in one hand.

"The scars serve as a constant reminder of the terrible events of that morning," he wrote in a victim impact statement, read to the court by Mr Tinney.

Mr Anderson's wife said in a statement that her husband is now self-conscious when going swimming.

Mr Foo, in his late 30s, suffered deep stab wounds to his face, arms, legs and chest, and he now walks with a limp.

"Every time my wife sees the scars, she breaks down and cries," he noted in his victim impact statement, read by the prosecutor.

"I am ashamed of myself. I used to swim regularly, but I am no longer able to.

"I am no longer the cheerful, optimistic person that I used to be."

Mr Anderson, a senior business executive, and Mr Foo, who operates an audiovisual equipment business, also suffered financial losses.

Thackray was arrested in August 2016 and originally charged with attempted murder but later pleaded guilty to two counts of intentionally causing serious injury.

He also admitted to throwing a can of corn kernels at an employee at a South Yarra supermarket, knocking him out.

"He rendered someone unconscious by throwing a a tin of vegetables at the person's head," Mr Tinney said.

Defence lawyer Luke Barker said his client was an ice addict at the time of the crimes and suffered symptoms of psychosis.

Thackray will be sentenced by Justice Mark Weinberg at a later date.