A 21-year-old man who assaulted the mother of his child and smashed her cell phone appeared in Magistrates' Court.

Alvone Maybury pleaded guilty to destroying Melissa Swan's cell phone valued at $400 and unlawfully assaulting her causing bodily harm on January 26 this year.

Crown counsel Graveney Bannister told the court between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m. Maybury went to Ms Swan's house where he slapped her, kicked her and hit her on the leg with a pipe.

He then grabbed her Nokia Pebble mobile phone and broke it into pieces by throwing them at the wall.

Later that day, with a swollen and bruised face, Ms. Swan reported the incident to the Police. Maybury has prior convictions of dishonesty and breaking and entering from February 2000 and was out of jail on probation when the assault occurred.

When he was asked if he had anything to say to the court, Maybury replied: "I'm sorry for what I did. I apologised to her and I'll buy her a new phone.

"I just want to be there for my son and we're back together and I don't want to go to jail because there will be no one to look after my son."

Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner said: "In these domestic affairs there are all these factors and if he goes to prison it might save her life. I can't stop you from going back to the relationship but if I let you out and the foolishness can continue and even escalate."

Maybury then revealed he was not employed and claimed he had not been able to follow his probation because his son was in hospital.

Mr. Warner said he would give Maybury one more chance by giving him 24 months probation on the conditions of conforming to his curfew, following a work programme, and any other rehabilitative programs offered by court services.

He added that Maybury's case would be reviewed every two weeks and said: "If you break or miss anything of this order I'll lock you up."