AN INDONESIAN maid, who was caught on closed-circuit television ill-treating her employer's infant son, was jailed for nine months yesterday.

Etik, 25, had admitted to several acts of hurting the 21/2-month-old boy in a manner that was likely to cause him unnecessary physical pain. The abuse took place at the baby's home in Paya Lebar in January last year.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Lynda Lee said the baby's father called the police on Jan 26 last year and reported that he had evidence of his maid abusing his son the night before.

The CCTV footage showed Etik - who had been working for the family for only a few months - pushing and slapping the victim's leg and groin area while he was lying on the sofa and crying.

She was then seen pulling the baby towards her and putting him in the sarong cradle before using a leg to kick and swing the cradle.

Etik was also seen placing her hand on the victim as if she was tapping or pushing the baby's head, before kicking the victim's buttocks once and swinging the cradle vigorously.

Pleading for leniency, her lawyer Nasser Ismail said Etik has a three-year-old daughter back in East Java.

The woman regretted her lapse of judgment and handling the child roughly, saying she was frustrated when the baby cried continuously.

For her offences, she could have been fined up to $4,000 or jailed for up to four years or both under the Children and Young Persons Act.