THE former teacher of a childcare centre who ill-treated a four-year-old boy under her charge was fined the maximum of $4,000 on Friday.

District Judge May Mesenas said that she decided against a jail sentence on Hasanah Ahmad, who could have been up to four years, in view of her lawyer Mr Pritam Singh Gill's leniency plea.

Mr Gill had told the court on Monday that his 25-year-old client was four months pregnant and suffering from depression and anxiety at the time of the incident in May last year.

Hasanah, a mother of three, who has a diploma in pre-school education, also had two miscarriages in the past, he added.

At the time of the incident, her stress levels were up because she had two new pupils in her class of 12 who needed special attention, Mr Gill added.

The judge also committed Hasanah, who is now unemployed, to a bond of $5,000 to maintain good behaviour. She also has to attend counselling, psychotherapy or a programme to be decided by the Ministry of Community, Youth and Sports (MCYS).

Her 27-year-old policeman husband was also ordered to act as her surety on a $5,000 bond.

At about 7pm that day, Hasanah noticed the boy was about to throw a wooden stick playfully in the direction of her three-year-old son, who also went to the same chilcare centre.

She panicked and shouted at him to put the stick down before taking him to a classroom to reprimand him. She ordered him to wait there, switched off the lights and left.

She returned with a packet of chilli padi and threatened to make him eat it when he refused to look at her.

The boy kept quiet initially but started struggling when she tore open the packet and pointed at the fiery chilli padi. During the scuffle, the contents came into contact with his mouth and face.

Another teacher heard the commotion and walked in to see chilli padi on the floor. The boy's mouth and lips were also mild red after coming in contact with his teacher's chilli-stained hands.

His mother, who later picked him up from the centre, reported to the police.

This is the first case here where a childcare centre teacher is charged and found guilty for abusing a child under her care, the court heard.