Vic wife wants violent husband home

A Victorian woman whose abusive husband threatened to cut her neck and drink her blood has told a court she longs for him and wants him home.

He previously tried to throw her off a 17-storey balcony, stabbed her in the knee, beat her and pointed a knife at their four children, aged 14 to four-years-old, the court heard.

Crown prosecutors said that on October 16 last year the 41-year-old went to a house where his wife was hiding, with a homemade garrotte around his neck, and said he was going to use it to strangle her.

"One day I'm going to cut your neck and drink your blood," the man said.

After he was arrested he told police he was embarrassed by his wife's behaviour.

On Tuesday he pleaded guilty to 12 charges, including intentionally causing injury, assault and five counts of aggravated assault.

His wife has now told the Victorian County Court she can't survive without him.

"I long for him too much," she said in a letter.

Prosecutor Georgina Coghlan said that the day before his arrest the man pointed a knife at each of his children and said "Are you scared of dying? Your daddy is not scared to kill someone".

The children watched as he grabbed the back of his wife's head and ran the blade across the width of her neck, saying "Are you scared of me? Do you want to die?", the court heard.

In a letter to the court, the woman said this problem was common back home in Burma and she didn't realise he would be punished this much when she went to police.

"I don't want for him to be in jail," she wrote.

Ms Coghlan said the man had a history of abuse spanning years.

In 2012, he attempted to throw his wife off the balcony of a 17th storey flat.

In 2014, he stabbed her knee with a pair of scissors.

Defence barrister Dierdre McCann said the man was a refugee on a protection visa, which will be cancelled if he is sentenced to more than 12 months' jail.

His time in prison would be more onerous because he would be worried about where he might end up, she said.

Upon release he could be in immigration detention while his status is reviewed, Ms McCann said.

She said he was remorseful and had a strong desire to be reunited with his family.

Judge Mark Gamble was concerned the wife did not seem to appreciate the gravity of the offending.

"Frightening doesn't do it justice," he said.

The man will return to court to be sentenced.