A Dubbo man has fronted court after becoming so enraged he couldn't find his cigarettes, he threw washing powder in a woman's face, smashed her phone and prescription glasses.
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John Reid, 22, had been staying with a woman in a caravan at a property on Bunglegumbie Road when a verbal argument broke out about 2.45pm on April 4 this year.
According to court documents, the woman walked away from the argument and had a cigarette she had rolled earlier, when Reid accused her of taking his smokes.
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The woman told him the cigarettes were inside the caravan, when Reid went to look.
Reid yelled "where the f--k are my smokes?", before the woman followed him inside, picked them up and pushed them into his chest telling him "they're right fucking there, now f--k off".
Reid walked outside when the woman asked for her Samsung Galaxy S8 phone she had lent to him to use.
He placed the mobile onto the bonnet of a nearby vehicle, and picked up a ratchet spanner indicating he was going to smash it. The woman asked for her phone again, causing Reid to throw it at the side of the caravan, cracking the screen.
Later the woman was leaning half way out the caravan when Reid went to walk past her, he threw her into the side of the doorframe, causing her to hit her head.
They both walked out of the caravan and while Reid had his back to her, the woman spat on the ground in his direction.
Reid turned around and said "don't you f---ing spit at me", before he spat in the woman's face.
He then picked up a handful of washing powder and threw it in her face, before taking off her prescription glasses and throwing them.
According to police, the woman suffered a scratch above her right eye.
Reid went to wash his hands nearby, and according to police became enraged again and punched the side of another caravan, before taking off in a Toyota Hilux.
He was later located by police eight days later at another address, when he was arrested.
Reid told officers an argument had taken place, but the woman had become aggressive first, pushing him when he was looking for his cigarettes.
However he did acknowledge he had taken it too far when he reacted, but denied throwing the laundry detergent, causing her to bleed, or spitting at her
He refused to comment about the damaged phone.
In Dubbo Local Court last Wednesday, Reid pleaded guilty to destroying or damaging property, common assault and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
Defence lawyer, George Fren said Reid was a young man who was homeless, had a limited record and entered early pleas of guilt.
The court heard Reid was someone who suffered difficulty reading and writing.
Magistrate Theresa Hamilton said while he was a young man and had a limited history, he was under a conditional release order to two common assaults in relation to another victim.
"It does seem to me he does have some problem controlling his temper," she said.
Reid was convicted and sentenced to a 12-month community corrections order with supervision.
"You really need to learn to control your temper, or you're going to end up in more serious trouble," Magistrate Hamilton said.