A BURY man baffled a shopkeeper when he threw an olive tree at his window, a court heard.

Kealan Coady was out in Bolton town centre on September 4 and decided to hurl the tree at the window at the Heart of Bolton cafe in Deansgate before headbutting it and stabbing at it with a knife.

The 27 year old, of Walmersley Road, Bury, struck the glass with such force, it broke.

Coady was arrested and was charged with possessing a knife and criminal damage, and was sentenced at Bolton Crown Court last Thursday.

Lindsay Thomas, prosecuting, said owner, Hugo Dias, opened the door to ask Coady what he was doing.

But the vandal, who suffers from mental-health problems, replied: "I don't know what I'm doing" and produced a knife with a 4in blade, which he waved around and pointed at Mr Dias.

The owner retreated into the cafe and shut the door on Coady, who appeared to be drunk.

"Mr Dias said he feared for his life and that of his staff. He thought the defendant would kill him," said Mrs Thomas.

As staff called police, Coady pushed at the door and stabbed the window with the knife, punching and headbutting the glass, which broke.

Coady, aged 27, of Walmersley Road, Bury, pleaded guilty to the two charges, but the court heard he has no previous convictions.

"It is an unusual case," said Wayne Jackson, defending, who stressed that Coady has had mental health issues.

"He is a man of hitherto good character who behaved in a somewhat bizarre way."

Judge Graeme Smith sentenced Coady to two months in prison, suspended for 12 months and ordered him to take part in 20 days of rehabilitation activity as well pay the cafe £100 compensation.

"I hope that this has simply been an aberration and, with the support you will get from the probation service, we will not have any recurrence of this behaviour," the judge told him.