Ben Hickman walked down his ex-wife’s driveway just as she sent him a text.
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He looked down, he read the message and then punched her ute three times, causing about $300 damage.
Hickman’s brain-snap resulted from her change-of-heart over the sharing of their assets.
The pair had already decided, Albury Local Court has heard, to split the equity in their home, while she would get all the property in the house.
They agreed she would also get the ute, which was registered in Hickman’s name but largely driven over the past four years by the woman.
The text though was clear; she had decided to seek more of the assets than what they originally agreed.
The North Albury man, supported in court by his new partner, pleaded guilty this week to a single charge of destroy or damage property for hitting the ute.
The court was told that Hickman, 29, a self-employed painter, and the victim were married for 7½ years before separating six months before the incident over which he was charged.
Police said the victim lived with their children, aged six years and 18 months, while Hickman lived just next door.
On January 12 about 3pm, Hickman agreed to take care of their children.
But he later changed his mind, so he and the victim argued via text messages for the rest of the day.
About 9.30pm, he went over to her home to collect the children.
As he walked up the driveway he received the victim’s text that she wanted more in their division of assets and so promptly punched the ute three times, causing damage to a rear quarter panel.
At the time the victim watched what was happening from a kitchen window. A friend called police.
Hickman will be sentenced on February 12.
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