A Filton man with an "utterly evil" look on his face who stood on Filton Avenue and smashed an axe through two car windows as women drove by has been handed a community order.

Peter Seery, formerly of Filton Avenue, lapsed into a dream-like state as he attacked the vehicles when "feeling down", Bristol Crown Court heard yesterday.

While one doctor reported he needed to be put in secure accommodation, another doctor said his volunteering for therapeutic treatment was the best course to take.

Seery, aged 44, pleaded guilty to affray, two charges of possessing an offensive weapon and common assault.

Imposing a three-year community order, Judge Carol Hagen told him: "I'm sure you can appreciate how very terrifying it must have been to the young women driving those motor cars."

The judge said Seery will be supervised for three years and a probation officer will monitor his behaviour and progress.

He was prohibited from going to pubs for three years.

Fiona Elder, prosecuting, told the court that in October last year Diane Kershaw was driving home from bingo, with Denise Turner.

She said: "They saw a male standing in the middle of the road, facing away from them.

"Mrs Kershaw stopped and sounded her horn, expecting him to move out the way.

"Mr Seery spun round, he lifted an axe high above his head and swung it down on the windscreen.

"His face was contorted with rage and he had a look described as utterly evil. He swung it four times and on the fourth occasion it went through the windscreen and stopped inches from Mrs Kershaw's face."

The court heard terrified Mrs Kershaw, who was showered in glass, cowered in her seat as Seery grappled to remove the axe.

The court heard Seery then smashed the side window of Chelsie Neville's Peugeot.

Once again, glass showered into the vehicle and passenger Yasmin Everett was hit in the back with the handle.

Miss Elder told the court: "Miss Neville thought this man wanted to kill them."

Seery gave officers a prepared statement outlining his psychiatric difficulties and charting how he had returned to Filton Avenue, seen a landing light on and found himself standing in the road like "a dream within a dream".

He recalled feeling down during the incidents, which followed his drinking four pints of cider at various pubs.

Ian Dixey, defending, said his client suffered from post traumatic stress disorder and the local mental health trust had not suggested he needed in-patient treatment.

Mr Dixey said: "A more timid, self-effacing man it would be difficult to find.

"Provided he is medicated there's no reason he cannot live safely in the community."