The sound the glass made, Ross Joseph Constantino told officers after his arrest, was like a gambler hitting a feature on the pokies.

The Wodonga Magistrate's Court heard the victim and Constantino had had an argument at her Brockley Street home on July 12 after she found stolen property.

She demanded the items be returned, causing Constantino to get angry and lunge at her.

Their heads collided, with his head causing a cut lip.

The woman left after the incident and found Constantino at her home the following night when she returned.

He was told he was not welcome, and he became angry and called her "all the names under the sun".

The victim again left to a nearby home and Constantino began smashing items.

When police arrived, they saw the windows getting broken outwards.

The Wodonga officers tried to arrest him but he ran outside and over a back fence.

The incident caused nearly $2400 worth of damage to the public housing property, with police noting nearly every window, door and wall had been smashed.

Clothes were also scattered through the house.

Constantino was eventually arrested and questioned.

He said hearing the windows break was "similar to how a gambler would feel winning a feature on a poker machine - satisfying".

He was charged with intentionally damaging property and unlawful assault, which he pleaded guilty to in court.

Magistrate Ian Watkins said it was "outrageous behaviour", and Constantino agreed.

"I feel like a piece of s---."

Constantino said he was technically homeless after moving back from Queensland after a five-year absence.

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"I've basically been on struggle street, taking a lot of drugs and drinking a lot prior to that incident," he said.

Constantino said the night of the incident was hazy, but he didn't doubt what the woman said was true.

He said he blacked out at times and probably needed some form of drug counselling.

Mr Watkins noted Constantino had limited priors.

"That surprises me given the seriousness of your offending," he said.

The magistrate said he had been out of control in the home.

"If you had a significant history of family violence, you'd be going to jail for these offences today," Mr Watkins said.

He instead ordered Constantino perform 100 hours of unpaid community work, half of which can be diverted to counselling and offender programs.

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