The man, who The Courier cannot name for legal reasons, faced a committal hearing at the Ballarat Magistrates Court on Wednesday over charges relating to incidents in February 2016, June 2017 and September 2017.

The man’s then Alfredton neighbour told the court the complainant arrived at her house on September 9 wearing nothing but her underwear and a blanket.

She said the complainant told her she had been held at her ex-partner’s address since the day before and he had hit her with a metal bar, tried to rip her teeth out, put her in the shower and tried to rip her breast off.

A Ballarat Health Services emergency department nurse told the court she saw the complainant about 2pm on September 9.

She said the complainant made reference to a possible sexual assault but could not physically remember being sexually assaulted.

The nurse said the complainant told her she had passed out a number of times during the alleged ordeal.

Dr Adam Straub forensically examined the complainant to find injuries to her head, neck, chest, abdomen and limbs.

He said it was impossible to tell when the injuries occurred, but lacerations on her eyebrow were quite new.

Leading Senior Constable Carly Davis told the court she spoke to the complainant briefly before she was transported to hospital in an ambulance.

She said the woman told her she had been subjected to various assaults and made no disclosure about a sexual assault.

“The concern at the time was more about her state she was in,” Leading Senior Constable Davis said.

After magistrate Ron Saines committed the man to stand trial in the Count Court, he pleaded not guilty to 20 charges, including abduction, false imprisonment, threats to kill, rape, assault, kidnapping, perverting the course of justice and intentionally causing injury.

A direction’s hearing will be held in Melbourne on April 4.