Whenua Phillip Joseph Sweeney (39) began a relationship with the victim in 2017.
His crimes against her began the following year and he has racked up convictions every year since.
He appeared in the Dunedin District Court this week after admitting charges of assault in a family relationship, breaching a protection order and attempting to pervert the course of justice.
After being released from prison in June last year, Sweeney began using methamphetamine and his behaviour rapidly deteriorated, according to court documents.
Less than three months later he was at the victim’s house and lost his temper when he was woken up.
Sweeney followed the woman to the laundry where he punched her three or four times in the head.
Two children witnessed the assault, a police summary said.
The defendant then pressed the victim’s head into a shelf and followed her as she walked away.
In the hallway, Sweeney pushed her over and pressed his forearm against her throat "causing her difficulty in breathing".
The attack only stopped when she grabbed his genitals.
Several days later police found Sweeney in South Dunedin and arrested him.
He appeared in court and was remanded in custody to await a trial on the violence charges.
On January 25, he called the victim from the Otago Corrections Facility claiming that his mother was going to provide a false alibi.
Ten days later he suggested if his partner did not turn up at the trial it would assist his case.
She told him she intended to testify.
"You can try," Sweeney said.
The woman asked if that was a threat.
"If I was threatening you I’d just come out and threaten you," he said.
If the victim gave evidence against him, Sweeney said that would make her a "snitch".
Because the conversation took place on the prison phone system it was recorded.
Counsel Meg Scally said her client had suffered "dysfunction, displacement, abuse and addiction" during his childhood.
His father figure had been sentenced for violent offending and Sweeney was perpetuating the cycle, she said.
The victim acknowledged her partner’s "long dark past with deep-rooted mental-health issues" and hoped he got the help he needed so they could work through the issues in their relationship.
Judge Kevin Phillips jailed Sweeney for two years two months.
