A man damaged his ex’s fence - when she called him a “fat ginger b*****d.”

Lee Farnsworth had gone round to return some Valentine’s Day presents to Chelsea Armitage, Kirklees Magistrates’ Court was told.

The former couple live next to each other in Blackmoorfoot Road, Crosland Moor, and he called round to drop the gifts off on March 4.

Prosecutor Helen Chapman told the Huddersfield court: “There was an argument outside her property and she then called the defendant ‘a fat ginger b*****d’.

“In anger he punched the garden fencing, causing some damage.”

Farnsworth, 37, pleaded guilty to a charge of criminal damage when he appeared at the Huddersfield court.

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Ian Whiteley, mitigating, explained that the property belonged to Farnsworth’s uncle.

He said he agreed that Farnsworth could carry out the repair work himself and said he wasn’t bothered about him being prosecuted.

Mr Whiteley said that his client had taken some “Valentine’s stuff” back to his ex and she had taken exception to that.

He told the court: “She called him what she called him and he’s reacted.”

District Judge Michael Fanning gave Farnsworth a 12-month conditional discharge, provided that he stays out of trouble for the next year.

He told him: “It’s a tricky situation having to live so close to somebody when there’s a degree of ill-feeling.

“You received a mouthful and you reacted to that in a way which was not appropriate.”

Farnsworth still has to pay £85 court costs and £20 victim surcharge.