ONE Proserpine man's night took a turn for the worse after an "innocent drink" turned into a verbal brawl with his ex-partner.

On Monday, Proserpine Magistrates Court heard how a 32-year-old Proserpine man, who cannot be named, attended his ex-partner's home, while on a domestic violence protection order, where a verbal argument quickly became physical.

Civilian prosecutor Chris Bennett said the man visited his ex-wife's home on October 17 after she gave him verbal consent to do so. At about 9.20pm, the pair entered a verbal argument before the woman asked the man to leave, the court heard.

The man took his car keys and when the woman tried taking them off him, he grabbed her by the hair and pushed her against the wall. In an attempt to free herself, the woman injured her left thumb.

Mr Bennett said upon leaving the home, the woman received a text message saying: "Why would you do that? Call the cops? Hope you're happy. Think about the kids before you mouth off to police."

At 9.45pm, police officers arrived at the home, where the woman showed them her injured thumb and the text messages she received moments prior.

On October 18 at 8am, the man willingly attended Proserpine police station, where he admitted to grabbing the woman's hair but said he pushed her against the wall to defend himself after she tried to take his keys off him.

Magistrate Simon Young said the act meant the man had broken a condition of the DV order made against him on November 6, 2014, which stated he must be on good behaviour and could not attend the home of his ex-wife unless written consent was given.

Mr Young said he could not say the incident was out of character given the defendant's history.

Defence solicitor Raymond Taylor, of R.JTaylor Law, said the couple had continued their relationship.

The man was sentenced to three months jail, suspended for 12 months.