A man who spent three months in jail on a raft of charges, including family violence and escaping from police, has avoided further time in prison.

Tereance Paki, 29, apologised for his actions when he appeared before Judge Dominic Dravitzki in the Ashburton District Court on Monday.

“I’d like to say sorry. I know words don’t mean much but I want to change.”

Judge Dravitzki said Paki faced charges of trespass and assault on his former partner on May 7 this year.

Despite bail conditions not to go to his partner’s address Paki returned to her home on June 19 and entered by the back door.

The judge said Paki became enraged and punched his partner in the face, pulled her by the hair and kicked her twice in the lower back – in front of the children.

Paki then smashed an ornament, pulled out the WiFi router, took the only key to the property and fled.

In addition to a black eye, bruised arm, sore back and a lump on the head – Paki’s partner was left frightened and felt unsafe in her home.

Judge Dravitzki said Paki was raised by his grandparents. When they died within a short period of each other it caused “massive issues” for Paki.

He said Paki had trouble with relationships and also had family violence callouts with an earlier partner.

The judge said the starting point for a sentence would have been 12 months in jail. However, Paki had been in custody for three months, which was the equivalent of a six-month prison sentence.

Judge Dravitzki sentenced Paki to 18 months’ intensive supervision with judicial monitoring.

Paki was also sentenced to 120 hours of community work and ordered to pay $200 reparation for the damaged router.