A Sunderland man was locked in a police cell for eight hours after damaging a £5 Sainsbury's candle during a incident.
Lewis Greener threw the candle and punched his girlfriend's wall during the disturbance.
The 24-year-old claims police arrested him as he was repairing the damage with Polyfilla.
In court, his solicitor accused the Crown Prosecution Service of lacking "common sense" in persisting with the prosecution.
And Greener, of Floral Dene in South Hylton, said: "I feel like I am the victim in this - I'm p***** off to be he honest.
"Somehow I was in the wrong for breaking a £5 Sainsbury's candle."
The December 30 domestic bust-up unfolded after Greener's partner found messages from mystery women on his mobile, the court heard.
"She proceeds to go up to the bedroom and wakes him up by punching him in the face several times," said his solicitor, Jason Smith, who added his partner also smashed his £300 iPhone 7.
"This is a man who should have been dealt with by caution at a police station."
Defending its response, Northumbria Police say it raced to the scene after it was reported a knife was in the house although no weapon was found.
“On the morning of December 30, we attended an address on Abercorn Road in Sunderland following a report of a disturbance involving a man in possession of a knife.
“As a result, we provided a swift and proportionate policing response to the report made. Upon attending the scene, officers located the man and were satisfied he was not in possession of a weapon.
“A thorough investigation was subsequently carried out and the case was presented to the Crown Prosecution Service, who deemed there was sufficient evidence to charge a suspect with criminal damage."
ChronicleLive contacted the CPS but it has yet to respond.
Outlining the case, prosecutor Lorna Rimmell accepted there had been "tit-for-tat on both sides" before Smith lost his cool.
However in a victim statement, Greener's partner claimed she had been made to feel "absolutely ill" by what had took place in front of her daughter.
"I feel so sorry that she has had to see it," said the woman.
"Mine and Lee's relationship has been toxic for some time and it should have ended ages ago.
"This is the final straw".
On Monday, the defendant - who is currently in the process of applying for Universal Credit - pleaded guilty to criminal damage to property under £5,000.
He was ordered to pay £85 prosecution costs, as well as a £21 victim surcharge.
However the three-person bench refused to make him compensate his victim, after the court heard he had smashed his mobile - and replaced it with a "cheap" substitute.
And Greener was handed a 12-month conditional discharge, after Mr Smith slammed the unfairness he feels his client had faced.
"We have to have some form of equality and balance here, but there has been no equality in this scenario," he fumed.
"There is no common sense.
"This is a matter which should have never come to court."
