Man in court for 'punching toddler's face'

A man accused of punching a 16-month-old girl in the face at Sydney's Central Station has been admitted to a mental health facility to be assessed.

Nicholas Bolas refused to wear a top and came up from the cells without a shirt when he appeared at Central Local Court on Friday.

Bolas, who has been diagnosed as psychotic, is alleged to have punched the girl in the face while she was in her pram at a cafe on Thursday.

The baby's father ran after the 28-year-old as he fled the scene, police say.

He was later found in a nearby building and charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

The baby girl suffered a small laceration to her face.

Central Local Court heard Bolas had been an involuntary patient at Caritas at St Vincent's Hospital in May and had left while on unescorted leave.

He had also been an involuntary patient in Queensland and had a number of property-related offences in the ACT.

Speaking to Bolas directly in the dock, Magistrate Les Mabbutt asked "Do you want to go back to hospital?"

"No, not really," Bolas replied.

He then asked Bolas when he last took medication.

"The defendant is staring at me blankly with no response," Mr Mabbutt said.

Despite the prosecutions' objections, Mr Mabbutt said he was satisfied Bolas may be a mentally ill person and ordered he be taken back to the Sydney facility for assessment.