David Wright, 25, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty in the Koori division of Warrnambool Magistrates Court to theft and recklessly causing injury.

The court heard on August 31, a male victim was walking on Warrnambool's Wooles Avenue about 3.30pm when he heard someone knocking on the window of a nearby property.

Wright yelled out to the victim from inside the house before walking outside.

He approached the victim and punched him in the head, causing him to fall to the ground.

Wright then kicked the man to the head six times.

He left the victim lying on the ground and walked back inside.

The victim walked home, rang police and was taken to Warrnambool Base Hospital.

He suffered grazes and bruising.

On Thursday, Wright told the court he had a criminal history involving violence.

He said when he was 14, he kicked a person and nearly killed him.

At 16 or 17, he said he hurt another man "really bad".

"I honestly don't even know where (the aggression) comes from," he said.

Warrnambool Indigenous elder Uncle Lenny Clarke said Wright had the potential to really hurt somebody.

"You really have to work on that," he said.

Lawyer Ian Pugh said Wright had successfully completed a number of programs and wanted to become "a functioning member of society and also of the Aboriginal community".

Wright also pleaded guilty to shop theft. He was sentenced to the 35 days he had already spent in custody on remand and an existing corrections order was extended for another six months.

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