A magistrate has made an urgent plea to a Baranduda man who was released after pleading guilty to choking and sending abusive messages among serious domestic violence offending.

The man appeared at Wangaratta Magistrates’ Court from Wangaratta police custody on Friday as he heard his sentence of time already served, having spent 284 behind bars.

The court heard the man had pleaded guilty to choking his ex-partner and sending abusive messages among a slew of family violence related charges.

Magistrate Megan Casey imposed a nine-month imprisonment for time already served and placed the man on an 18-month community corrections order upon his release that day.

“There are no circumstances to get physically violent with an intimate partner,” she said.

“Whether it’s contact or non-contact, it’s still family violence and still inflicts damage on a vulnerable person.

“I encourage you to take a good, hard look through the situation through your children’s eyes.

“Do better, be better.”

The man was released from custody to attend a funeral later in the day.