Matthew Coolen, 41, will spend at least another year in prison for the aggravated burglary at the victim's Mount Pleasant home in March 2020.

"You maintained a threatening, frightening and intimidating approach to the victim," Judge Carolene Gwynn said in her sentencing remarks.

"I have little doubt she would have been terrified.

"You entered into her private domain where she had a right to be and feel safe."

The County Court of Victoria heard on Monday Coolen's one year relationship with the victim ended in October 2019.

Coolen rode his bicycle to the victim's house at 11pm on Monday March 16 and knocked on the door.

The victim told him to return the next day because it was late.

Judge Gwynn said 'that should have been the end of the matter' but Coolen became angry and a neighbour heard him yelling and screaming, with the victim repeatedly saying 'go away'.

Coolen made two flying kicks to the front wooden door, before putting on his bicycle helmet and saying 'game on b*tch'.

He forced the garage door open, kicked open the laundry door and entered the house with a black hunting knife in a sheath on his leg.

Coolen went into the lounge room where he tried to take a phone from the victim who was calling triple zero.

The victim screamed at him to 'get out' and Coolen chased her into the bedroom where he forced her face down on the bed and pinned her down with his knee.

The court heard Coolen pulled out his knife and pierced her jeans in a struggle, making a small cut to her leg, before he pointed the knife at her throat and said 'shut the f*** up, don't call police'.

Coolen backed away enough for the victim to push him away and he later calmed down and left the property.

He was later arrested by police while riding on his bicycle and the knife was found 200 metres away where he had thrown it.

The court heard Coolen had been using drugs, had attended the house in an attempt to retrieve money and became angry when he was told to leave.

"Your use of a weapon was particularly cowardly," Judge Gwynn said.

"It took you some time to calm down from your rage which is concerning."

Judge Gwynn said a message of deterrence was important in family violence cases and specific deterrence loomed large because he had a relevant criminal history of violent offending.

"I have grave concerns of the need to protect you from the community, particularly intimate partners," she said.

The court heard Coolen was diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder and polysubstance abuse disorder which meant he was more impulsive and prone to reckless behaviour.

A psychologist said Coolen's PTSD had made him 'chronically angry' and caused him to react out of proportion.

Judge Gwynn said she took into account Coolen's history of drug abuse, his failure to respond to previous therapeutic court orders and his criminal history.

"Your prospects of rehabilitation have to be seen as guarded," she said.

Coolen was sentenced to three years' imprisonment with a 22 month non-parole period.

He has already served almost a year in prison.

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