A young woman cradled her baby in the dock as she admitted serious violence charges in Invercargill District Court yesterday.

The woman, Michelle Jade Corina Kerr, 20, who had arrived from Christchurch with her baby for the hearing, admitted two charges of assault with a weapon and one charge of aggravated robbery in Invercargill in August last year.

She rocked her baby in the dock until it fell asleep on her chest during the hearing.

Judge Kevin Phillips allowed Kerr to take her baby into the dock.

She had no supporters in court to take the baby from her.

The woman's lawyer, Kate McHugh, conceded it was highly unusual to take a baby into the dock.

Judge Phillips told the woman he would normally have remanded her in custody but he agreed to grant her bail until her sentencing on February 28 because she had a baby.

There were several months until her sentencing and the Crown had not objected to her being granted bail.

The judge indicated the woman would probably be sentenced to jail.

- © Fairfax NZ News