A man has been banned from carrying scissors in public after he sneaked up on two unsuspecting women and cut their hair, police have said.
Darren Dixon, 48, of Gore Crescent, Salford, was sentenced to a three-year community order at Manchester Crown Court on Tuesday.
He was also given a three year anti-social behaviour order (Asbo) which bans him from carrying scissors or hair cutting equipment in a public place.
His first victim was a 19-year-old, who noticed Dixon was standing close to her when she was walking along Wilmslow Road in Fallowfield in September last year.
She crossed the road and continued to walk and then quickened her pace when she realised Dixon was following her. As she carried on walking at a fast pace, she felt her hair being touched and "heard a metallic sound hit the floor", police said.
Turning around, she saw Dixon picking up a pair of scissors and clumps of her hair.
The second incident took place a month later when a woman, who was shopping in an Asda store in, stopped to look at shampoo and noticed Dixon had walked up and down the aisle twice.
She moved on to look at soaps when she realised he was stood behind her.
As she carried on shopping, she heard a noise at the back of her head. She turned around and saw Dixon walking away.
As she walked around the store looking at items she noticed Dixon was still following her.
Again she stopped and heard a noise behind her.
She turned and saw Dixon behind her with some of her hair underneath his foot.
He apologised and walked off, dragging the hair with his foot before picking it up and walking off.
Detective Constable Lawrence Gallagher from Longsight CID said: "This was a bizarre case and Dixon has never shown any indication as to why he carried out these assaults and for what purpose.
"By carrying out these attacks, he has severely knocked the confidence of both victims. Even though he did not hurt them, it will take them a while for them to get over it."