A man who allegedly spat in a baby’s face in Sydney’s CBD at the weekend has been charged with assault.

Police said that just after 5:30pm (AEDT), a four-month-old baby was being pushed in her pram by relatives along Crown Street.

A man, unknown to the family, leant inside the pram and spat on the baby’s face before running off, they said.

• ‘I am a broken man’, says father
• Labor Senator quits politics
• The Oscar winner these men wouldn’t applaud

The baby’s grandfather chased the man to Foveaux Street, where the man fell to the ground after colliding with a car.

He got up and then was seen running along Crown Street.

Police charged a 37-year-old Redfern man with common assault and with moving into the path of a driver in relation to the incident.

He was also charged with common assault as part of an unrelated domestic violence matter.

The man was refused bail and was expected to appear before Central Local Court on Wednesday.