A homeless woman threw a shard of glass at a gang of attackers but missed and hit a baby, cutting his face and leg.

Well-known Amy Baker then brandished a fork at the injured infant’s mother after she was chased along Week Street, Maidstone.

The 28-year-old admitted causing actual bodily harm and possessing a sharp object in public at Maidstone Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.

The court heard how she was set upon by up to five people between Tesco Express and the old amusement arcade at 9.30pm on August 12.

A bottle was then dropped from a window by an unknown person and smashed in front of her.

Mother-of-two Baker picked up a large shard of glass and waved it at the group to get them to leave her alone, before hurling it at them.

The missile missed and smashed on an innocent bystander's pram, showering 11-month-old Niko Maggs with fragments.

Niko’s mother, Shannon Maggs, then chased Baker who turned around and waved a police evidence tube containing a two-pronged fork in her face.

She was able to wrestle the item, which had been returned to Baker by police after being deemed safe, from her grasp.

Russell Morling, defending, said Baker reacted in the heat of the moment to a genuine threat, adding she was under the impression the woman chasing her was one of her attackers.

Despite the seriousness of the incident magistrates told Baker she will not go to prison.

Andrew Backway, chairman of the bench, said: “You feared for your own safety. The throwing of the glass was certainly not meant to hurt the baby. We are of the opinion it was reckless.”

Adjourning the case until Thursday, October 1, for a pre-sentence report he added Baker’s actions did not warrant a custodial sentence and the bench was considering a community punishment.

As she left court Baker, who has issues with alcohol and heroin, said: “I never meant to hurt anyone, I was just scared.”

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