The tutor of a university class attacked by a student with a baseball bat last year says she may not be alive if not for a yellow notebook that she bought the day before.
The woman told the ACT Supreme Court she briefly lost consciousness after being hit on the head at ANU by Alex Ophel, 19, last year.
She said Mr Ophel hit her on the chest, but she protected her head from further blows with the notebook that she would not have had two days earlier.
"I am lucky I had the booklet," she said.
"I bought it the day before and it saved my life."
Another student told the court she "thought it was a prank" when she saw her tutor being attacked by Mr Ophel, who is on trial on five counts of attempted murder.
She said after hitting the teacher, Mr Ophel turned on her as she shielded herself with her arms.
"I knew I had to protect my head," she said.
The court heard the blows broke bones in both her arms.
A school friend of Mr Ophel also gave evidence, via Skype from overseas.
He told the court how the pair had shared dark conversations towards the end of their high school years, relating to Mr Ophel's trouble getting a girlfriend.
He said he did not remember the context but did remember Mr Ophel making a comment that if he did not get a girlfriend soon he would "just end up sexually abusing someone".
Mr Ophel's lawyers are arguing he is not guilty by reason of mental impairment.
