A VIOLENT man who strangled his partner after tracking her down in Wodonga has been jailed following a bizarre court appearance.
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Noel Withers flipped his middle finger at a magistrate and called him a "f---ing old ----", claimed the victim had a $100,000 watch belonging to Russian tennis player Maria Sharapova, and said he was living on a historic gypsy camp during two recent appearances in Wodonga court.
Withers asked to be sent to a psychiatric ward before claiming police had stolen $100,000 worth of property.
The court heard the victim had been in a violent five year relationship with Withers, which led to a full intervention order being imposed in the Bendigo Magistrates Court last December.
The victim went to Albury Police Station about two weeks later to report threatening calls made to her phone.
Withers continued to text the victim and made threats to kill her dog.
She had spent several months trying to hide from Withers, and thought he didn't know where she was living, when he confronted her in Wodonga's High Street on March 25.
He approached her about 11.45am and apologised for his behaviour.
The woman stayed calm to avoid agitating Withers but he later tackled her and choked her out the front of a home.
He had chased her around her car and kicked her vehicle.
The woman told police she thought she was going to be killed.
Withers' lawyer told him to calm down during his most recent court appearance after frequent interjections.
He blew kisses at the victim and refused to undergo a psychiatric test, telling magistrate Ian Watkins "you're better off accepting what's what, here and now, and dropping the hammer on me".
He has priors for serious violence.
"It was a nasty assault," the magistrate said.
"And I'm ashamed of it too," Withers replied.
Mr Watkins said the offending involved "extreme" violence and jailed Withers for a minimum eight months with a 14-month maximum.