A man from Swindon who smashed his ex-partner’s rear windscreen window while his baby was in the backseat has been fined.

Callum Buckingham, 25, of Wilcox Close, pleaded guilty to criminal damage at Swindon Magistrates Court on September 5.

Ms Prince, prosecuting, told the court Buckingham was in a relationship with the victim for around three years and on the day of the offence she parked her Audi Q2 outside his home, with their 18-month-old child in the back, and told him their relationship was over for good.

Buckingham, who has two previous convictions, was described as “angry” and “flailing his arms” during the conversation and he hit the rear windscreen on her car, shattering the glass which narrowly avoided injuring their child.

In mitigation, Mr Glendenning, defending, said Buckingham had admitted his actions straight away in his police interview and was “understandably upset” about the breakup, adding that he was not trying to attack her or cause injury but was “somewhat enthusiastic” with his arm movements, which caused the windscreen to shatter.

The magistrate told Buckingham: “The fact is your child was in the car. It was reckless.”

He was fined £123 and ordered to pay £150 compensation to the victim, a £49 surcharge and £85 prosecution costs, totalling £407.