Nigel Stevenson, 32, of Willunga Street, pleaded guilty in the Warrnambool Magistrates Court this week to assault-related offending.

Stevenson has 25 pages of prior convictions and defence counsel Belinda Northey said her client was “in a cycle” with the criminal justice system. 

She said that in the days before the offending Stevenson and his long-time partner had been abusing “ice”, or crystal methamphetamine.

Ms Northey said the two had been in an on-and-off relationship and had two children.

Police told the court that at 7.10pm on May 31 the couple were at a Willunga Street home when Stevenson was woken up. 

There was an argument about cigarettes and Stevenson pushed the woman, who fell over a table. He then punched her to the right eye and the jaw before repeatedly throwing her to the floor when she tried to escape.

Stevenson denied the allegation, telling police the woman suffered epilepsy and if he had hit her she would have suffered a seizure.

An intervention order was put in place between the two but Stevenson and the woman were on the same bus from Portland to Port Fairy on July 5. When Stevenson approached the woman in Warrnambool that day and demanded his bank card back she told him she didn’t have it.

That led to Stevenson pushing her over, causing her to have an epileptic fit, and after another incident the victim was taken by ambulance to hospital.

Magistrate John Lesser told Stevenson yesterday that any violence in a relationship was unacceptable and violence had been part of the defendant’s life for a long time. He said because of Stevenson’s record there had to be a jail term imposed but after that supports would need to be in place so that he could lead a more positive life.

Stevenson was convicted, jailed for 60 days with 21 days counted as already served. He will then undertake an 18-month community corrections order to do 150 hours’ community work with assessment and treatment as requested.