A magistrate has accepted a North Albury man's excuse that he punched his ex-wife's ute in frustration.
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Ben Hickman hit the vehicle three times, Albury Local Court previously heard, and caused $300 damage.
He had been walking down the woman's driveway as she sent him a text, in which she said how she had decided to seek more assets in their divorce settlement.
Hickman, 29, pleaded guilty two weeks ago to a charge of destroy or damage property.
"It was just a moment of frustration," he told magistrate Imad Abdul-Karim this week.
Hickman's sentencing had been delayed to allow him to pay for the damage.
He did that and was able to provide a receipt to the court.
Mr Abdul-Karim said the ute was registered in Hickman's name, though the victim had driven the vehicle for the past few years.
The court heard previously that the pair were married for 7½ years before separating six months before the incident.
They continued to live next door to each other.
In the lead-up to striking the ute's rear quarter panel, Hickman had reneged on an agreement to look after their children.
Hickman was placed on a conditional release order to be of good behaviour for 12 months, without conviction.
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