The 35-year-old offender cannot be named to protect the identity of the victim and two young children.

He was arrested by police patrolling the Apollo Estate on Tuesday and spent a night in custody before appearing in Dubbo Local Court on Wednesday on charges of assault occasioning actual harm, common assault, damaging property and failing to appear in court in accordance with bail undertakings.

The offences put the man in breach of bonds previously imposed for an assault on a convenience store worker and having goods in his custody suspected of being stolen.

A solicitor from the Aboriginal Legal Service entered pleas of guilty and told Magistrate Andrew Eckhold the man had been under the influence of ice (crystal methamphetamine) and heroin.

"His drug addiction started about five years ago," the solicitor said.

"He has been addressing his drug use and receiving treatment. He is keen to begin drug rehabilitation."

Prosecution facts tendered to the court said the victim and her two daughters were asleep in the bedroom on a Dubbo house at 6am on October 19.

The woman got out of bed to investigate a tapping noise and found the man standing at the end of the hallway.

The man yelled "Where are they? I know you are hiding them in here" and checked each room in the house.

Police said the woman had no idea what he was talking about.

The woman was punched in the eye and threatened with a stainless steel knife.

The woman took the children and went to a neighbour's house to contact police.

As she stood in the driveway she saw the man leave the house with a number of belongings. When the woman went back into the house she found her house key missing, a hole in the bedroom door and the lock on the laundry door broken.

The man was arrested in Alcheringa Street and admitted hitting the woman and kicking the bedroom door.

The man was charged, bailed and placed on orders prohibiting him from going within 100 metres of the area where the woman lived. He was to reside in Parkes and report to police daily.

On November 3 the woman came home from work and found the man in the lounge room. She walked into the kitchen in an attempt to avoid interacting with the man.

The man yelled out "Do you have a cigarette?"

The woman said no and refused his request to go out to buy cigarettes.

The man said: "You go and get some or else I will smash you head with a brick".

Police said the woman left the house and contacted police.

When officers arrived at the house they found the man hiding underneath a mattress in the bedroom.

The man was charged with contravening an apprehended violence order.

An arrest warrant was issued when the man failed to appear in Dubbo Local Court on November 12.

He was found walking in Houston Drive at 2.30pm on Tuesday.

Magistrate Eckhold was not impressed when the man sat handcuffed in the dock.

"I have to disregard prosecution facts about the knife because an appropriate charge was not laid by police," he said.

"I expect my comments to be relayed to the Orana Local Area commander," the magistrate said.

The magistrate imposed six- and 18-month jail sentences and a series of bonds. A non-parole period of nine months was set.

"Your criminal record demonstrates a huge drug problem," Magistrate Eckhold said.

"You haven't taken up opportunities to go into drug rehabilitation. Your use of ice had led to violence."