A Yukon man with a history of violence against women will remain behind bars but has managed to avoid federal prison after terrorizing his girlfriend on New Year's Day last year.

Kevin Grunerud was sentenced Thursday to two years less a day and ordered to tell officials about any female relationships, following a tirade which included his girlfriend getting hit in the face with a frozen beer can.

The sentence means the 35-year-old will serve his time in Whitehorse Correctional Centre. The prosecutor asked Supreme Court Justice Andrea Moen to send him to a federal prison.

Grunerud pleaded guilty to one count of assault with a weapon and one count of breaching a no-contact order.

The Crown withdrew two other charges of assault and count of unlawful confinement. He was originally scheduled to go on trial earlier this week.

The court heard that Grunerud was on parole on the last day of 2010 when he and his new girlfriend, whom he met online, attended a New Year's Eve party in Teslin.

He admitted to stealing the woman's car keys and phone and the next day, confronted her after finding a text message from another male.

Prosecutor Terri Nguyen said Grunerud became irate, breaking the woman's phone and shouting.

When the pair, who had been dating since August of that year, arrived at a nearby cabin, the tirade continued.

Inside the cabin Grunerud, who had been drinking, began throwing possessions, calling the woman names and refusing to allow her to leave.

The woman was struck in the head by the frozen beer can, causing a cut and swelling.

Though initially afraid to talk to the police, she reported the attack and Grunerud was arrested on Jan 18. He has been in custody ever since.

Later in January, Grunerud was charged with breaching a court order for persistent attempts to contact the woman to the point where she was forced to change her phone number.

In late 2008, Grunerud was found guilty of seven offences, ranging from uttering threats to assault with a weapon.

During the trial, the court heard that in early 2007 Grunerud had shown up drunk at his then-girlfriend's house, broke down the door with a sledgehammer, destroyed her cell phone and television, and threatened her with a knife.

Police arrived as he was breaking down the door to the bathroom where the woman was hiding.

Later that year, she returned home to find Grunerud waiting at her front door, drunk.

He pushed his way into the house and refused to leave. He began punching and kicking her, telling the woman's sobbing child to "cowboy up.”

Mother and son eventually managed to escape but Grunerud followed them with his truck, smashing their vehicle several times.

He was sentenced to 45 months in prison, with two years remaining to be served.

In court Thursday, Grunerud repeated similar promises he gave the judge in 2008, promising to get help for his alcoholism.

He completed an anger management program while in jail, he said.

The judge pointed out that Grunerud's crimes all take place while he has been drinking. She ordered him to attend a spousal abuse program as well as Alcoholics Anonymous meetings.

With credit for the time he has already spent in custody, Grunerud has about seven months left on these most recent charges.

Once out of jail, he will serve six years on probation.

The judge has ordered Grunerud to inform his probation officer of all female relationships, including friendships, so that the women can be told of his criminal history.

He was also given a lifetime weapons ban and ordered not to live with females while on probation.