The 40-year-old, who cannot be named, was sentenced on Wednesday for a home invasion at his ex-girlfriend's Canberra home.

The couple had just broken up, the court heard, and the man had entered the home and confronted his ex-girlfriend while she was in the shower.

He became angry when he discovered she had formed a new friendship with a man.

In what prosecutors described as a "jealous rage", he touched her indecently, and smashed her television and computer.

He was also charged with minor theft and assault.

The home invasion left the woman distressed and traumatised, and the defendant's actions were described as an "enormous breach of trust" by Special Magistrate Maria Doogan.

The court heard the victim still felt unsafe and traumatised, and Mrs Doogan remarked that such a breach of trust would have made the world seem "that much more dangerous" for her.

Prosecutor Anthony Williamson called for a prison sentence to be imposed, saying the act of indecency was between the mid to upper range of seriousness for an offence of its kind.

He said the defendant had treated his former partner not as a mature, middle-aged woman capable of making her own relationship decisions, but as a "piece of property, something he owned and something he was entitled to control".

The defence handed up a number of references, which all spoke of the man's good character, and noted that such actions were out of the ordinary.

His lawyer said the property damage offences, which caused $1444 worth of damage, were at the low end of seriousness, and said his client had no criminal history of violence.

Mrs Doogan sentenced the man to 249 hours of community service, fined him $300, and ordered he pay back the $1444 damages he caused.

The defendant was also placed on a two year good behaviour order.