SINGAPORE -Despite being rebuffed, a fishmonger persisted by grabbing the shoulder of a teenage girl again and went on to molest her, a court heard.

The 15-year-old student was walking from Woodlands bus interchange towards Woodlands MRT station at about 6pm on June 26 when she felt someone grab her right shoulder.

She shrugged the person off, and caught a glimpse of Vietnamese national Tran Trung Van, 30.

After she continued walking a few more steps, Van grabbed her shoulder again. She again shrugged his hand off.

Almost immediately, he placed his palm on her chest and molested her.

The victim was shocked. She noticed that he appeared to have an unsteady gait as he walked past her. Further investigation showed that he had consumed four cans of beer that day.

She told her mother about the incident, and the matter was reported to the police.

Van, who was arrested on July 12, was sentenced to eight months' jail and one stroke of the cane on Wednesday (Aug 17). He pleaded guilty to the offence and had another charge of molesting a 48-year-old woman half an hour later that day taken into consideration.

He could have been jailed for up to two years, fined, caned or received any combined punishment.