Travis Eulo spent his formative years at Enngonia in a hostile environment of alcohol abuse and domestic violence.

He started drinking and experimenting with cannabis at age 13 and developed a poly drug dependency costing up to $200 a day.

From age 14 he was forced to fend for himself.

This week the now 33-year-old faced charges of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and common assault after an ugly domestic violence disturbance at a Dubbo home.

A solicitor from the Aboriginal Legal Service entered a plea of guilty as Eulo watched proceedings via video link from Wellington Correctional Centre.

"He is truly sorry for what he did," the solicitor said.

"He readily admits his responsibility and has shown genuine remorse and insight into factors leading to offending."

Prosecution facts tendered to the court said Eulo pushed a woman into a wall during an argument. He grabbed her by the top of her shirt and physically threw her to the floor. She hit her head and rolled onto her side in an attempt to avoid further injury.

The woman was kicked in the stomach as she lay on the floor.

Eulo walked to the kitchen. The woman fled out the front door as she feared he was going to get a knife.

The woman ran to the phone box outside the South Dubbo Tavern and called police.

Officers found her visibly upset with a swollen, red face and a lump on her forehead.

Magistrate Andrew Eckhold said Eulo was not assisted by his criminal record.

"You have been jailed and received community service in the past," the magistrate said.

"Your really difficult background has led you to internalise violence and see it as part of normal behaviour.

"You dragged your partner to the ground, hurt her head and kicked her in the stomach. If you kick someone when they are on the ground you need to go to jail and that is what is going to happen today."

Magistrate Eckhold said Eulo had impressed Community Services staff as someone who was sorry for what they did.

"You are gripped by alcohol and drug abuse," the magistrate said.

"You are a totally different person when you are not drunk.

"You represent a tragedy for our society.

"People can turn their lives around from where you are now. I do hope that what is happens with you."

Eulo received a 16-month jail sentence for assault occasioning actual bodily harm. A non-parole period of nine months was set.

A two-year bond was imposed for common assault.

Magistrate Eckhold told Eulo he had to take his medicine.

"You need to be really careful about drinking," the magistrate said.

"It pushes all the buttons installed in you as a child."