A thug who “viciously” attacked a 20-year-old pregnant woman in a High Wycombe street in a row over a sexually transmitted disease, has today avoided jail.

Kimberly Barass, 29, of Cater Road, Lane End, attacked Rebeckah Barlow, who was six weeks pregnant at the time, as she came out of Dashwood Newsagents, in Dashwood Avenue, with her 16-year-old sister in September last year.

Magistrates heard how mother-of-two Miss Barlow felt a heavy object hit the back of her head and she fell to the floor, sustaining scratches and bruising to her head.

The court heard how the person who pushed her to the floor tried to scratch her face and kicked her in the stomach, and that she could hear her sister shouting at the attacker to stop.

She said she also felt her hair being pulled “viciously”, and heard the shopkeeper say ‘get off her’, after which her attacker stopped, shouting: “Don’t talk to James ever again.”

She then saw Barass, who has four children, with a “number of friends”.

She was taken to hospital, where she found out her unborn child had not been injured in the incident.

The prosecution said: “She felt the attack was completely unprovoked. She said she had no idea why she had been attacked in this way.”

Barass’ solicitor, defending, said the circumstances of the case were “emotive”. The court heard that Barass had become angry after learning she had contracted an STD through her then partner cheating on her.

Her solicitor added that it was thought her partner was cheating on her with Miss Barlow but they could not be sure about this.

He said: “She reacted in the heat of the moment. She is someone who is not prone to violence. It was very emotive.

“I have asked her specifically about the kick to the stomach but she does not recall doing it.”

He also said Barass had been a victim of domestic abuse by her previous partner, had suffered from depression at the age of 14 and currently suffers from emotional personality disorder, for which she takes medication and is due to receive counselling.

He added: “There are significant mental health issues here. I would ask you to consider the level of complications involved in this case.

“Prison wouldn’t be the place for her. It would cause her young children significant distress and disruption.

“She is despondent about what she has done. This is out of character for Miss Barass.”

Barass initially pleaded not guilty to assault by beating, but later changed her plea to guilty.

She was given a nine-week sentence, suspended for 12 months, and asked to pay £100 compensation to Miss Barlow, £300 in other costs and a victim surcharge of £50, reduced from £115, for the “vicious, sustained and unprovoked” attack.

She was also slapped with a 12-month restraining order and ordered not to contact Miss Barlow “in any way or form” or ask anyone else to contact her on her behalf, with magistrates adding: “Keep away for your own benefit.”