Timothy Devey, 53, of Garden Street, pleaded guilty in the Supreme Court to manslaughter last year.

He stabbed and killed 45-year-old victim Craig Blachford in December 2018.

On Wednesday Justice James Elliott said a single 17cm stab wound to the stomach cut through Mr Blachford's liver and pierced his diaphragm.

Despite two surgeries his wounds were not survivable and he was declared dead the next morning.

Justice Elliott told Devey that as a result of his conduct a life was taken and the victim "died of a very deep stab wound you inflicted".

Devey was convicted and sentenced to seven years and six months' imprisonment, with five years and six months to be served before being eligible for parole.

He has already served 830 days in custody, which will be counted as served.

Justice Elliott said on December 7, 2018, Devey went to a Cramer Street unit in Warrnambool to discuss a $150 debt he owed to a woman, Mr Blachford's partner.

He said everyone at the unit was drinking alcohol heavily and the mood became hostile despite Devey paying off the debt.

Mr Blachford called Devey a pedophile after he admitted sleeping with a 15-year-old girl (which Devey explained was when he was himself a teenager).

He demanded Devey leave the apartment and said he was getting no more alcohol.

Devey put on his bike helmet in preparation of leaving when Mr Blachford demanded another $100.

He punched Devey to the top of his helmet and Devey walked into one kitchen door and then out another door.

Mr Blachford grabbed at Devey's bag as he was leaving.

Justice Elliott said a knife was then produced but it was not clear if Devey had the knife or if he had wrestled it from Mr Blachford.

Mr Blachford was stabbed once towards his right side, with the knife entering and going through Mr Blachford's liver.

Mr Blachford fell back, saying: "I've been stabbed".

Devey immediately left and an ambulance was called.

Paramedics found Mr Blachford had suffered a large incision and his bowel was exposed, he was taken to Warrnambool Base Hospital where he underwent two surgeries but his injuries were non survivable and he was declared deceased at 3.10am the next morning.

The court previously heard Devey suffered four broken jaws at his father's hand while growing up and he was abused by a local priest.

He completed a chef apprenticeship but a relationship breakdown caused by a woman infidelity led to an attempted suicide and Devey's world falling apart.

He started using cannabis and alcohol more heavily as well as cocaine and LSD.

Devey was sentenced to 15 months' imprisonment for the importation of illegal substances and then later a suspended jail sentence for cultivating cannabis.

He moved to Warrnambool in about 2010 and fell off a roof of a house, breaking his legs and some ribs.

Justice Elliott said a woman had offered Devey a place to stay in Warrnambool when he left jail and he planned to make art to sell at markets.

Both the defence and prosecution submitted the manslaughter was at the lower end of the scale, not pre-planned or pre-meditated.

Devey suffers a personality disorder which a report found left him with a profound lack of self and self-direction.

He also lacks understanding of other people's perspectives, but he does not have bipolar although there's a suggestion of psychosis caused by substance abuse.

His prospects are considered at best guarded due to risk of returning to drug and alcohol abuse.

Justice Elliott said Devey time in custody would be harder because of his physical and mental ailments, including degenerative disease which causes pain and mobility issues.

He said he had spent the last 12 months in protective custody as other prisoners wanted his prescription medication.

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