Warrnambool man Paul McDonough, 37, was committed to stand trial on Wednesday after pleading not guilty to the alleged murder of his partner Bekkie-Rae Curren-Trinca, 28.

Ms Curren-Trinca was found at a property in Warrnambool's Ocean Grove on November 27, 2019, and was flown to the Royal Melbourne Hospital in a critical condition with alleged head and spinal injuries.

She was placed on life-support and had remained in a critical condition there until life-support was turned off in December that year.

During a committal hearing on Wednesday, an Emma House social worker told the court she spoke to Ms Curren-Trinca twice before her death - once on November 4, 2019, and again on November 12.

She said the woman appeared "standoffish, jittery and anxious".

She said Ms Curren-Trinca attended Emma House and said Mr McDonough was harassing her through text messages and on one occasion choked her in and out of consciousness.

The witness said she overheard the victim tell a friend on November 12 she feared Mr McDonough would kill her - 15 days before the serious assault that allegedly ended Ms Curren-Tinca's life.

That friend, April Chilcott, told the court she could not recall Ms Curren-Tinca saying she could be killed and that if she did, she would have reported it to the police.

The committal hearing heard from six witnesses, including two Emma House social workers, a Victoria Police homicide detective, the victim's friends Ms Chilcott and Michelle Eden, and ex-partner Michael Proctor.

Mr Proctor said in the days before the serious assault, he heard Mr McDonough say that if he "couldn't have her, I'll kill her".

Lawyer Jason Gullaci, representing Mr McDonough, questioned why that information was provided in Mr Proctor's second statement to police but not the first.

Mr Proctor said when providing his first statement, he was on drugs and had not slept in days after being on the run from police.

He told the court he found out Mr McDonough planned to "cave Bekkie's head in" on the night of the alleged incident and planned to help her but fell asleep.

He told police he wished he "could have said or done something to stop (Bekkie) from being killed".

A second Emma House social worker told the court that on November 4, 2019, she spoke with Ms Curren-Trinca about obtaining an intervention order but she was "resistant".

The social worker said that was not uncommon for victim-survivors of domestic violence.

The witness said she also attempted to assist Ms Curren-Trinca in making a police report but the victim "hit panic mode" and did not make a statement.

She said the victim told her everything was becoming too hard and she didn't know what she was doing.

The social worker said the conversation "didn't sit right with me" and she followed up with the Warrnambool police family violence unit.

She said she last had contact with Ms Curren-Trinca on November 20.

The court heard the victim told social workers Mr McDonough used "every drug under the sun", suffered schizophrenia and that she also used methamphetamine.

Mr McDonough will face the Melbourne Supreme Court for a directions hearing on February 2.

If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault, domestic or family violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit 1800RESPECT.org.au. In an emergency, call 000.

Emma House is a Warrnambool-based not-for-profit service and can be contacted through 1800 EMMADV (1800 366238) or visit emmahouse.org.au/

Safe Steps for women after hours service is available through 188 015 188.

Brophy Family and Youth Services can be contacted on 1300 BROPHY or 03 5561 8888.

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