JOHN Boyce McKeown was seen talking to himself and swearing at passers-by as he sat on steps in King William Street, Blackburn, drinking from a bottle of cider, a court was told.

He was then seen to head butt a shop window for no apparent reason before punching the window of a public telephone box, terrifying the woman who was using it at the time.

But having heard the prosecution version of events given to Blackburn magistrates, McKeown said part of it was a lie. "I didn't punch the phone box -- I kicked it," he told magistrates.

McKeown, 24, of Alaska Street, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to using threatening behaviour and was given a conditional discharge for six months and ordered to pay £60 costs.

Asked if he had anything else to say McKeown apologised for what he had done.