Forget the glamour and the sunglasses, black suits, black shirts, black Mercedes, shaven heads and bling. A just completed court case has given a glimpse into life inside Melbourne's underworld and it's not pretty.

Damian Catania was a mid-level "player" in the underworld, or at least enough of a player to once have been the victim of a drive-by shooting reportedly carried out by notorious gangland hitman Andrew "Benji" Veniamin.

On Monday Catania was sentenced to a minimum of six years jail for pouring petrol over a man who had annoyed him and setting the victim alight, causing horrific burns.

But the details of Catania's lifestyle that emerged during the trial were far removed from the glamorous image that's been built up around Melbourne's underworld during recent years.

Catania, 30, was an ex boxer who had a string of minor convictions, mostly for violence. But he admitted to his psychologist that his police record did not truly reflect his "long history of involvement in very serious crime in Melbourne".

In 1999 Catania apparently did something - the court wasn't told what - to make someone further up the food chain in Melbourne's underworld extremely upset.

About 6am on February 24, 1999, Catania was waiting outside his home in Hoppers Crossing in Melbourne's western suburbs for a regular lift to work when an early model white Commodore slowed as it cruised by.

A guman in the car - reputedly Veniamin, who was eventually to be shot to death by Melbourne identity Mick Gatto in 2004 - opened fire, hitting Catania at least four times in the legs and groin. It was meant as a lesson.

"The unknown assailants could have killed you if they wanted to but they shot the bullets into your waist, groin and leg region. You believed they meant to put you in a wheelchair," Supreme Court Justice Kevin Bell said at Catania's sentencing.

Catania almost lost a leg as a result of the shooting and spent 12 months in hospital recovering. He also lost his girlfriend, who left him after the shooting. Those in the car were never caught.

The "lesson" was a good one. After the shooting Catania lived constantly looking over his shoulder.

According to Catania's psychologist, the shooting had a marked effect on his psychological state and left him "extremely anxious and paranoid".

The paranoia increased in 2002, at the height of Melbourne's gangland war, when Catania was questioned by police "about persons whom your former associates shot dead".

"You are fearful that criminal figures will believe you assisted the police when, in fact, you were unable to do so. Your paranoia leads you to avoid situations that might place you in jeopardy," Justice Bell said.

Catania turned to booze in an attempt to escape the paranoia and suffered from blackouts.

After being put in prison on remand after setting the other man on fire in late 2003, Catania's paranoia increased. He spent much of the time in maximum security isolation.

" you feel you need protection but do not want to be labelled as weak. You do not want to see health professionals for the same reason. You believe you may attract negative attention from other prisoners in various ways," Justice Bell said.

The judge said Catania's remaining time in prison would be "more difficult than most, and will continue to do so".

Not surprisingly, Catania told the court that on his eventual release from jail, he wanted to "pack up and travel out of Melbourne".