A PEDLAR threatened two Kendal residents after they refused to buy tea-towels from him.

Paul William Owens failed to appear at South Cumbria Magistrates' Court yesterday but the case against him was proven in his absence.

The court heard the 35-year-old had knocked on the doors of two residents on the evening of November 30 of last year.

Prosecutor Pamela Fee told District Judge Gerald Chalk: "It was 6.45pm and the defendant was going door-to-door trying to sell tea-towels from a holdall.

"One resident, Mrs Buxton, answered the door and he said 'sorry for disturbing your dogs I'm an ex-con trying to get back on the straight and narrow.

"She is not interested and the defendant and his companion get angry and he says 'go on shut the door in my face, I'll smash your window'."

Owens, of Enderby Gardens in Hemlington near Middlesbrough, then knocked on the door of another resident, Mr Haslam.

"He said 'I've done things I'm not proud of' and when Mr Haslam said he wasn't interested in buying anything the defendant said 'What's wrong with you lot in your posh houses in Kendal, I'm going to put a brick through your window'," Miss Fee said.

The court heard both residents had felt scared and threatened by the incident.

District Judge Gerald Chalk said the case had been proven in absence.

Owens was fined £120 and ordered to pay £130 costs and a £32 victim surcharge.