McGrath has been put on bonds with conditions that he has to accept alcohol and anger management counselling.

Solicitor Mark Cronin said McGrath made a nuisance of himself in a car trip from Corowa to Howlong when his former partner was driving.

The apprentice steel fabricator damaged the car windscreen with an empty stubby and his fist.

“He did spend a night in custody as a result of these matters,” Mr Cronin said in Albury Local Court.

McGrath, 24, of Electra Street, Albury, pleaded guilty to two counts of damaging property, driving under the influence of alcohol and driving when his licence was expired.

Police prosecutor Sgt Shannon Lewis withdrew charges of being armed with intent to commit an indictable offence, intimidation, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and driving a vehicle to menace someone else.

Sgt Lewis said McGrath’s former partner had received a subpoena to be at court, but did not attend.

Magistrate Megan Greenwood put McGrath on two-year bonds on the property damage charges and imposed a $550 fine for unlicensed driving.

He was fined $770 for driving under the influence and disqualified for 18 months.

McGrath’s partner of 12 months was driving back from Corowa about 8.30pm on July 19.

He became angry during the drive and demanded throughout for her to stop, but she continued travelling about 50km/h.

McGrath asked to go to the home of her parents to collect some money he had given them earlier in the day.

But she refused and drove past before McGrath damaged the windscreen and pulled on the handbrake.

His partner got out of the car and McGrath drove off before later going to her parents’ home where she was staying.

He refused to leave, bent a security door handle and police were called.

When they arrived, McGrath took the car keys from his pocket, threw them into a darkened area of the yard and said: “Don’t tell the cops I was driving.”