Police described one of the wounds caused by James Scott Nixon as “significant” and it had penetrated the woman’s jugular vein.

She had put a towel around her neck and it was covered in blood when ambulance officers arrived to provide urgent assistance.

Nixon, 40, appeared in Albury Local Court yesterday through a video link from jail and pleaded guilty to charges of reckless wounding, assault and damaging property.

Solicitor Andrea MacDonald said Nixon had a long history of drug and alcohol abuse.

She intended making an application for an intensive corrections order and magistrate Margaret Quinn adjourned sentencing until February 12.

The court was told in police facts that Nixon started a relationship with the victim, 35, in April last year.

He moved into a house in Jacaranda Street at West Albury in September.

Nixon was drinking alcohol and had some cannabis at a neighbouring house party on November 5.

His de facto’s teenage daughter was woken about 11.50pm and heard Nixon say: “Do you want me to start a fire? I’ll start the house on fire.”

A short time later a chair came crashing through a front glass window which woke his partner, who was asleep near a heater.

Nixon armed himself with a piece of glass, the daughter indicated she was going to ring the police and began walking towards her bedroom.

He came up behind her with the glass, pointed it at her and kept walking towards her.

The teenager backed off into a corner screaming because she had feared for her life.

Her mother entered the room and was grabbed by Nixon, who inflicted two wounds to her neck and another to the right arm.

The woman walked to the kitchen and was covered in blood when seen by her daughter, who rang triple-0 for an ambulance.

When police arrived at the house, Nixon was in the front yard holding a large knife to his chin.

He asked police to check on his de facto and shoot him.

Nixon dropped the knife after several minutes of negotiations with officers and was arrested.