Joshua Stewart, 22, was staying with family at Moruya Heads when he became upset after he twice told his girlfriend he loved her but received no reply.

In a defended hearing, the Calwell labourer pleaded not guilty in Batemans Bay Local Court to assaulting the woman at 9.30am on December 12 last year, destroying her property - an iPhone, handbag, and car, and breaching an apprehended violence order.

However Magistrate David Degnan found Mr Stewart guilty of all matters and later sentenced him to 10 months’ jail with a non-parole of four months.

He noted the offender had prior offences for domestic violence.

Mr Stewart’s now former girlfriend accused him of bending her fingers back during a struggle when he tried to grab her iPhone, and smashing the phone when he later threw her handbag before kicking and breaking the car’s side-mirror and a tail-light.

Mr Stewart denied the allegations, telling the hearing that after twice saying “I love you” and receiving no response, he pushed the woman off him then picked up her iPhone only to tap it and find the Facebook app was on.

The woman previously told the court he was jealous when she used Facebook because he (wrongly) thought she was contacting other guys.

When the arguing went on outside the Native Way house, the woman told police she tried to punch and scratch his arms and back, but he grabbed her arms and threw her onto the ground – an allegation he denied.

He had snapped off the side mirror on the car when he kicked it and also kicked and smashed the rear light.

“I put the hose on her. I found it pretty funny (as) she was having a tantrum, I was trying to cool her off,” Mr Stewart said in evidence.

“I just wanted my shoes back, they are a $260 pair of Nikes and they are sick.”

He denied “messing up” her car saying it was a bomb and already dented.

However Mr Degnan found the woman was “an impressive witness” and that Mr Stewart became aggrieved at her being on Facebook.