A Victorian man who was doused in petrol and set on fire by his best mate can no longer trust others and relives the trauma of the attack every day.
Umit Gorgulu, 40, was in March found guilty by a jury of intentionally causing serious injury to his good friend and housemate Kevin Taplin.
The pair were driving, in April 2019, from their home to pick up Mr Taplin's motorbike when they had a fight in the car and Gorgulu threw his phone out the window.
After being separated for several hours, during which Gorgulu left Mr Taplin threatening voice messages from a stranger's phone, they reunited in Hamilton.
Gorgulu punched Mr Taplin in the head several times, and when he tried to drive away Gorgulu stopped him by hanging onto the car door.
Gorgulu grabbed a jerry can full of petrol and doused the car and Mr Taplin in fuel, before igniting it and setting his friend on fire.
Mr Taplin rolled on the ground to try putting the fire out before screaming for help, with some nearby residents pouring water over him and hosing him down.
The Supreme Court on Monday heard that act had saved Mr Taplin's life.
"We're looking at a very bad example of intentionally causing serious injury," prosecutor Raymond Gibson told the court.
"It was only ... because of the very swift and civic-mindedness of the neighbours that he probably survived."
Mr Taplin, who lived with Gorgulu for three to four years after offering him housing because he was homeless, said the crimes had changed his life significantly.
"Unfortunately, I no longer believe it is possible to truly know someone," he said in a statement read to the court.
"I'm now acutely aware of the unpredictability of humans. This is a direct result of the violation I experienced. I'm no longer able to take people on face value."
Mr Taplin, who spent two weeks in a coma and two years in rehabilitation, said the physical scars were "a lifetime reminder of the crimes".
He also suffers post-traumatic stress disorder, agoraphobia and insomnia from the attack.
Gorgulu's barrister James McQuillan said his client admitted he had anger issues that needed addressing and had acknowledged his actions were stupid.
Justice Amanda Fox said while Gorgulu may not have planned to set his friend on fire, he could have allowed Mr Taplin to drive off when he tried to leave.
"If that had occurred, we probably wouldn't all be here today," she said.
Justice Fox adjourned the matter for sentencing at a later date.
