A THUG armed with an axe tried to steal a baby seat from a woman's car before punching her in the face.

The victim was carrying shopping into her home when the unprovoked attack happened.

David Carden, of Cross Street, Atherton, was under the influence of alcohol and drugs when he targeted the terrified woman in the town on May 11.

Jailing the 45-year-old for 10 months at Bolton Crown Court on Monday, Judge Elliot Knopf told him: “You were unprovoked and punched a woman who was caring for a young child at the time.

“You do not remember anything because you had been drinking and taking drugs, some of which may have been prescribed for you.

“Even though you did not brandish the axe at any time it is a serious danger to the public if people are under the influence of drink and drugs when carrying one like you were.”

Carden approached the car at around 5.20pm as the woman took shopping into her house.

She saw him trying to steal the baby seat and pushed him away from the car.

He pushed the woman back and told her 'if you were not a woman I would smash your face in'.

As she went to go back to her house Carden punched the woman in the side of the face before walking away from the scene.

Carden was arrested by police shortly after the attack.

He claimed to have no memory of the incident.

Defending, Joanna Rodikis said: “David was making significant progress in the past 12 months of his life and had also become the carer of his 81-year-old mother, who suffers with angina, arthritis and other conditions.

“He has been taking tablets for chronic lung disease, which he was diagnosed with two years ago, and he knows now he should have not been drinking, which may have affected his actions.

“He does not know how or why he had the axe that day but he does remember getting it for work on a fence.”

Carden admitted the assault, carrying an offensive weapon in a public place and attempting to steal the baby seat.

The judge took into consideration his previous convictions when sentencing him.

On top of his prison sentence Carden was ordered to pay a £140 victim surcharge and forfeit the axe.