A dissatisfied customer at a government department who vented his anger on a parked car will be spending the next five months behind bars.

Eritrean-born Beyene Fessahatsion Weldeabzghi, 26, with no fixed address, pleaded guilty to having yesterday at around 2.30pm caused voluntary damage to third party property while out on probation.

The court, presided over by magistrate Ian Farrugia, heard how the man, after leaving a government office in Floriana, vented his frustration on the side-mirror of a VW Golf which happened to be parked in Francesco Buonamici Street.

A passer-by who witnessed the scene stopped the culprit in his tracks. The man was arrested shortly afterwards by the police.

"I am seeing your conviction sheet. You are repeating the same offences," the magistrate chastised the accused.

The court noted that the man had committed a similar offence almost a year ago when he had allegedly been turned away by a prostitute. Following the frustrating experience, he had damaged two cars and a motorbike.

The court declared the man guilty upon his own admission and condemned him to a jail term of five months and ordered that a copy of the judgment be served to the director of probation and parole.

"You were given a chance but you do not seem to have understood what that chance means. The law must be observed," were the court's parting words.

Inspector Priscilla Caruana Lee prosecuted.

Lawyer Christopher Chircop was legal aid.

Lawyer Maroushka Debono appeared parte civile for the owner of the vandalised car.