A serial molester who had earlier targeted eight women is back behind bars for offences including outraging a 13-year-old girl's modesty.

In his latest offences, Lawrence Goh Koon Yong, now 39, also asked a 19-year-old woman to have sex with him and stole a pair of shoes from a third victim.

The Singaporean was sentenced yesterday to 21/2 years' jail after pleading guilty to one count each of theft, molestation and insulting a woman's modesty.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Genevieve Pang said that the 13-year-old girl was wearing her school uniform and walking home in Whampoa at around 11am on Oct 7, 2019, when Goh approached her from behind.

The DPP added: "The accused followed the victim and asked if she wanted to go to a dark corner to study. He also asked her if she had a boyfriend. As the victim wanted to protect herself, she told him that she had one."

Undeterred, Goh went close to the girl and grabbed her waist. The terrified teenager pushed him away and ran home.

In an unrelated incident, the 19-year-old woman was on her way home at around 10pm on Sept 2, 2019, and had entered a lift in a Sims Drive block of flats when Goh went up to her. He touched her upper arm and asked if she wanted to have sex with him.

DPP Pang told the court: "Upon hearing these words, the victim felt fearful and harassed by the accused. As the victim wanted to get away from the accused, she quickly exited the lift and gave her phone number to the accused while suggesting that he arrange a meeting the next day."

She told her father about what had happened when she got home and he alerted the police.

The court heard that Goh called her at around 9.40pm the next day and said he was at the void deck of her block. Officers arrested him later that evening after she notified the police and her father.

Separately, Goh also stole a pair of black shoes worth $160 from outside a Commonwealth Crescent flat at around midnight on July 30, 2019.

Defence lawyer Nevinjit Singh had pleaded for Goh to be sentenced to 26 months' jail, stressing that his client has realised that he needs to change his ways and is remorseful.

For molesting a victim below 14, an offender can be jailed for up to five years and fined or caned.