Hayward, pleading not guilty to aggravated burglary, two counts of assault, making a threat to kill and false imprisonment, faced the County Court in Ballarat on Tuesday.

He was charged following two alleged incidents at his former partner's home in Delacombe in 2017.

Crown prosecutor Stephanie Clancy told the jury the complainant did not immediately phone police or run for help after Hayward allegedly broke in and threatened her with a knife because Hayward had been violent toward her previously - which he said in a police interview - and she "knew how to manage and appease (the accused)".

"This is the account of a young mother attempting to set boundaries with her ex, and a man who refuses to accept the complainant no longer wants to be with him," Ms Clancy said.

While the defence presented witnesses who said the complainant said she had "set-up" Hayward, Ms Clancy said their evidence was "complete fabrications".

The complainant alleged Hayward had breached his intervention order by visiting her and their children on June 2, and viciously assaulted her.

He stayed at her house for a few days, and she accompanied him back to Ballarat train station.

Soon after he returned to Bairnsdale, she told Hayward not to contact her again, and he immediately bought a train ticket and made the five and a half hour journey back to Ballarat, before allegedly breaking in again that night.

"She can do this because the accused is in Bairnsdale and she's in Delacombe," she said.

"The prosecution suggests he traveled back to Ballarat after returning from five nights' stay shows a man not willing to take no for an answer."

However, defence barrister Anthony Pyne said Hayward was found with enough money for a return ticket.

"That's important, as in the interview, he said he was told "you can spend one more week with your son then never see him again" - she said that's a possibility that happened - that's the reason why he left (Bairnsdale), and had enough to get home," he said.

Mr Pyne also cast doubt on the prosecution's DNA evidence - there was "extremely strong support" DNA profiles found on the knife's handle matched both the complainant and Hayward, though the complainant said in cross-examination she hadn't touched the knife, and Hayward said in the police interview it was a kitchen knife "we use to cut salad".

"The evidence shows the victim's evidence might have been wrong," Mr Pyne said - he also noted there was no medical evidence of injuries on the complainant, or of wounds on Hayward consistent with getting snagged by glass from a broken window.

However, Ms Clancy said the allegation of a set-up didn't hold up.

"(If) a single mother of two has smashed a window in her own home, she'd have to deal with the consequences if (her child) stepped on the glass, there was a cold wind, or paying for repairs," she said.

"The victim is no criminal mastermind brazenly planting evidence - she spent 12 months trying to extricate herself from the relationship and make sure her children had a relationship with their father."

The trial continues.

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