A WARRNAMBOOL man who admitted punching his partner to the head numerous times has been fined $1500.
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James Cole, 29, of Barkly Street, pleaded guilty in the Warrnambool Magistrates Court to assault and breaching an intervention order.
Police said that on January 19 a woman went to the Warrnambool police station to report an assault but left before making a statement.
Police officers went to her home to check on her welfare and found Cole crying.
He said he had punched his partner to the face three times and slapped her to the face.
Cole said his partner would have been scared and felt vulnerable.
He was previously involved in an incident with police in 2013 after the unexpected death of his father.
Defence counsel Belinda Northey said Cole's relationship with the woman had been stable but a medical diagnosis put stress on the couple.
"He says he snapped. He was extremely upset and made full admission which led to him being charged," she said.
"They are no longer together but he continues to support her, just not as a partner.”
Magistrate Ann McGarvie said it was the first time Cole had breached his intervention order, he had kept out of trouble for four years and she accepted he was remorseful.