Kyle Briggs, 27, admitted he was "desperate" on the night of December 1 when, after issues with his girlfriend, he set fire to the Stevenson Street house in Wodonga he had been living in for more than six years.

In an agitated state, he brought his lawn mower inside the house, tipped it on its side to allow the fuel to spread then threw a lighter on the fuel and watched the house ignite in flames.

Witnesses saw him walking away from the burning house.

Briggs appeared in Wangaratta County Court last week to plead guilty to arson and recklessly causing injury.

Prosecutor Andrew Buckland said Briggs was overheard telling someone after the incident that "yes it's my house, I lit it on fire".

Briggs also admitted to assaulting a man who was at a gathering with his girlfriend earlier in the evening.

When he grabbed the victim and threw him to the ground, the man's head hit some bricks and was cut open - requiring a trip to hospital and eight stitches.

"His head just popped like a tomato," Briggs told police after his arrest.

Judge Julie Condon said she accepted Briggs was in an "emotionally precarious state" at the time, but the question was not if he would receive a jail sentence, but how long the jail term would be.

He has already spent more than 170 days in custody.

"I'm contemplating a sentence that involves further time in custody," Judge Condon said.

The prosecution did not push for him to pay compensation to the Department of Health and Human Services.

Barrister Martin Kozlowski told the court Briggs had been diagnosed with depression and an adjustment disorder, but refused to take the prescribed medication.

"Instead he chose to self-medicate with alcohol," he said. "In the lead-up to the incident, he was drinking heavily."

Mr Kozlowski said Briggs was remorseful for his actions.

The case was adjourned for sentencing this week.

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