A FATHER was fined after admitting to causing damage at his ex-partner’s house.

Jamie Pepper, 25, of Drury Road, Colchester, was alleged to have kicked the back door of the property in Berechurch Road, breaking a pane of glass on January 3 this year.

The house belonged to his “on-off” girlfriend.

Colchester Magistrates’ Court court heard they had a “tempestuous’” relationship over a number of years.

Prosecutors said the pair had broken up a few days before the incident in which Pepper climbed into the woman’s back garden after being unable to contact her by telephone.

However, Paul Baker, mitigating, claimed he lived at the address and the couple, who have a daughter, were still in a relationship.

He said Pepper wanted to tell his ex-girlfriend he was on the way home. When he arrived, he found some of his property on the front doorstep, but saw his ex inside with her mum.

She refused to answer the door.

Mr Baker said: “It was a bolt out of the blue for him.

“He accepts he climbed over the back wall to speak with her and to check his property was still there.

“He wasn’t as steady as he should have been and there’s a back porch area where he’d fallen through and struck the pavement.

“There’s no evidence to suggest he kicked the door and neither party saw how the damage occurred.

“He didn’t intend to cause the damage, but accepts he was reckless in his approach.”

Pepper admitted a charge of causing criminal damage. Magistrate Alix Mason ordered him to pay £100 compensation and £85 in court costs.