ACCUSED: Lee Song Koi was given 10 months' jail and three strokes of the cane for molesting his Indonesian maid.

His wife took the 21-year-old domestic worker to the airport but the police, acting on a frantic call from the maid's cousin, intercepted and stopped the maid from taking her flight home.

Lee, 46, also a secretary of the Punggol Angsana Residents' Committee, was yesterday sentenced to 10 months' jail and three strokes of the cane for molesting her.

He is appealing against the sentence and is out on $15,000 bail.

He admitted on Monday to lying on top of the maid and kissing her all over the body at his Hougang flat on July 7 last year.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Elizabeth Lee Liang Mae said that the victim was sleeping in her room when Lee forced himself on her by kissing her face.

He lifted her T-shirt while the victim struggled and told him to stop.

Lee ignored her and continued molesting her.

Before leaving the room, he told her not to tell anyone.

Three days later, police received a 999 call and the Airport Police were alerted to look out for the maid whom they found together with Lee's wife at Terminal 2.

Lee's lawyers Subhas Anandan and Sunil Sudheesan said that the father of two made no excuse for his behaviour, and had shown remorse by compensating her $5,000.

That night, he came home drunk after a company dinner and dance and hugged the maid in the living room.

Half an hour later, he went into her bedroom to molest her.

He apologised later that morning, said Mr Anandan, adding that Lee had contributed to society for 10 years as a grassroots leader.

After meting out the sentence, District Judge Wong Choon Ning said the charges were serious ones.

'As the employer, it is your responsibility to treat her well, and certainly not to commit these offences.'

Lee could have been jailed for up to three years, fined or caned, or received any two such punishments.