The man - who cannot be identified - pleaded guilty to aggravated assault, two counts of using a drug of dependence and two counts of persistent contravention of a family violence intervention order for an incident on January 11.
Police prosecutor Leading Senior Constable Kim Thomson told the Shepparton Magistrates’ Court the man kept his wife awake at their home while he drank alcohol, both smoked and injected ice and smoked cannabis, before he accused the woman of cheating on him and carrying someone else's baby.
The court heard the man repeatedly called the woman a "sl--" and followed her to the bedroom, saying things including "I hate you", "I want you dead" and "I want the baby dead".
He then slapped the victim to her head and struck her in the stomach before grabbing her by the throat and choking her for about five seconds, repeatedly calling her "sl--" and "cheat" while she struggled for breath.
The victim eventually left the house and called an ambulance from a neighbour's house.
When arrested and interviewed by police, the man said he could not remember touching his wife but added "she is a cheating sl--".
Defence lawyer Shana McDonald asked the man be placed on a corrections order having spent 20 days in pre-sentence detention, stating he presented as a different person to when he was charged, suggesting medication had stabilised him.
Ms McDonald noted no victim impact statement was produced and said the victim had contacted her multiple times, stating she believed the incident was out of character and the man was "very unwell".
She said the victim, who was in attendance at court, would reside with a friend until she could trust the man was "stabilised".
Magistrate Peter Dunn said a combination sentence comprising a term of imprisonment along with a corrections order was appropriate given the "extremely serious" nature of the offending.
“Any right-thinking person would agree the assault upon the victim was very severe and protracted,” he said.
“There are classic marks of extreme domestic violence that often result in death, regrettably.”
The man was sentenced to 42 days in custody for the aggravated assault, 14 days served concurrently for the intervention order breaches and seven days served concurrently for using methylamphetamine. Twenty days have already been served.
He also received a $250 fine for using cannabis, and was placed on an 18-month corrections order consisting of treatment and rehabilitation for drugs, alcohol, mental health and offending behaviour.
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