Magistrate Imad Abdul-Karim told Shaun Thomas Stevens the public considered matters of violence in a domestic situation as “extremely serious”.

“Potentially sir you face four years’ jail plus a significant fine,” Mr Abdul-Karim said.

Stevens though was clearly unwilling to treat the matter with any great concern.

Despite pleading guilty the unemployed man dismissed the police outline of the case, claiming “most of it’s not true”.

“I don’t have the energy to fight it mate, that’s all,” he told Mr Abdul-Karim after appearing before him in Albury Local Court this week.

Stevens, 36, of North Street, was not legally represented on the charges of destroy/damage property and common assault.

Police told the court that Stevens and the victim, who was aged 25 at the time of the assault, previously had been in a relationship for seven years.

This came to an end in mid-2017 and the pair moved into separate homes, sharing custody of their children aged five, three and 18 months.

Stevens went to the victim’s West Albury home on December 14 about 10pm to return their daughter, who had spent the evening with him.

He asked his former partner if he could stay for the rest of the night, but she said no. After Stevens left, she proceeded to put the girl to bed.

But a short time later she heard her front door open and Stevens yell out: “I’m taking the PlayStation (gaming console).” She walked into the lounge room and told him “no you’re not”.

With that, Stevens grabbed hold of the victim by the elbow before pushing her, causing her to lose balance and stumble backwards into the television.

Stevens then picked up the console and threw it to the floor.

In fear of being assaulted, she grabbed Stevens’ neck before he walked away.

Stevens was convicted, fined $600 and put on a 15-month good behaviour bond.