A MAN who choked and violently assaulted his partner has been warned he's one step away from jail.
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The Bendigo man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, entered the woman's home uninvited in April this year, grabbed her around the neck and began choking her.
He then covered her mouth with his hands, yelled at her to "shut up"and struck her to the head and mouth.
Bendigo Magistrates Court heard the altercation was so loud, neighbours reported a disturbance to police.
When officers arrived, they found the woman in an "emotional state" and the man affected by alcohol.
The court heard the woman had taken out a family violence intervention order on her partner of two-and-a-half years in October last year.
The man pleaded guilty on Friday to unlawful assault and three charges of contravening a family violence intervention order.
Defence lawyer Luke Docherty told the court a medical report suggested his client had an intellectual disability and was in the bottom one percentile of cognitive function.
The said the man also required treatment for drug and alcohol issues he had been battling for half his life.
Magistrate Kay Robertson warned the man he could face jail if he continued to offend.
"This is serious family violence," Ms Robertson said.
"You cannot break a court order and you cannot be violent to anyone.
"If you behave like this again, if you do this again, you'll probably go to jail."
Ms Robertson ordered the man complete 80 hours of unpaid work as part of a 12-month community corrections order.
She also ordered he undergo mental health assessment and treatment and complete associated programs to prevent re-offending.