Joel Knight, 20, was jailed for 50 days, which was reckoned as time already served, and placed on a 12-month community correction order.

He pleaded guilty at the Ballarat Magistrates Court on Thursday to charges relating to two incidents in September and October.

Police prosecutor Leading Senior Constable Simon Pearce said on Spetember 12 Knight was at his former partner's Alfredton house when he started yelling abuse at her and pushed her chest, causing pain to the back of her neck.

He said Knight then picked up a bong, followed the victim to her bedroom and threw the bong at the ceiling, causing $250 damage.

The court was told the victim and her friend feared for their safety and barracaded themselves in the bathroom.

Knight had consumed alcohol and smoked marijuana before the incident.

Police prosecutor Leading Senior Constable Pearce said on October 29 at 7pm, Knight became enraged after he overheard a conversation between the victim and another person.

He said Knight picked up a pair of scissors and stabbed the victim in the middle of the back, causing a 2.5 centimetre wound and a chipped spine.

The victim, who had been sitting on a couch, fell to the ground after he was stabbed and Knight continued to throw punches at him.

The court was told the victim ran to a neighbouring house where police were called.

Defence lawyer Andrew Madden said his client's offending was quite serious.

"He has gone from zero to 100 quite quickly but it's on the back of experimenting with drugs," Mr Madden said.

He said Knight was young, and after spending 50 days in pre-sentence detention, a community correction order combined with time already served in jail would be appropriate.

Magistrate Michael McNamara agreed and sentenced Knight to time already served and placed him on a 12-month community correction order.

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