After splitting up with his partner, a Dunfermline man knocked in her front door, saying he wanted to see his children.
Scott Catley, 31, of Haig Crescent, appeared for sentencing at Dunfermline Sheriff Courton Wendesday.
He admitted that March 1 at Loch Street, Townhill, he behaved in a threatening or abusive manner by forcing entry to the house, shouting, swearing, making challenges to fight, acting in an aggressive manner, kicking a television and internal door, damaging them both.
The court heard the pair were together for four years, had two children together and had split up eight weeks before the incident.
Depute fiscal Dev Kapadia said: “The complainer was at home with her two children and another male was present. She heard a loud bang coming from downstairs, the area of the front door.
“She went down to investigate and saw the accused in the front door and the door lock lying damaged in the hall.”
Catley went upstairs and when he found a man in the bedroom challenged him to a fight. The man left and Catley stayed on for a few hours with his ex-partner trying to keep the situation calm, the depute fiscal said.
Catley accused his ex-partner of “cheating on him” and kicked out at a TV and door, damaging them.
His ex-partner sent a text message to her sister asking her to call the police and officers came to the house, where Catley was found trying to repair the lock on the front door and was detained.
Defence agent Alexander Flett said: “He had gone around because of concerns he had about what was going on at the house. He is not well equipped to deal with stressful situations.”
Sheriff Charles Macnair said: “It is extremely serious, breaking into an occupied home and then acting in this manner.
“Your former partner is entitled to get on with her life. You are not entitled to control her, which is what you were trying to do, and breaking down the door is not a way of getting contact with your children.”
The sheriff imposed a community payback order with 18 months’ supervision and 160 hours’ unpaid work.