SINGAPORE - A 26-year-old man repeatedly punched his aunt's face, causing fractures to her nose and eye socket, a court heard.

On Monday (Oct 3), Verner Low Jun Han was jailed for 20 weeks, after he pleaded guilty to one charge of causing grievous hurt.

A district court heard that Low, formerly known as Verner Low York Yen, worked for his aunt, Ms Susie Oh Yen Peng, 42, as a delivery driver at her East Coast Road cafe, named Oh Deli.

They also lived together with other family members at a home in St Patrick's Road, co-owned by Ms Oh.

On July 10 last year, at about 8.40am, Low had an argument with an employee of the cafe. He insisted on leaving with some home delivery items, which were not yet ready for delivery.

"(Ms Oh) approached (Low) and told him to better manage his work attitude," Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Lester Ho told the court.

Low then left the cafe, but returned shortly after and quarrelled with his aunt.

Said DPP Ho: "(Low) was frustrated that (Ms Oh) did not approve his request to take the day off.

"A day before, on July 9, 2015, (Low) had applied to take leave on July 10, 2015, as he wanted to celebrate his son's first birthday."

Low again requested that he be granted the day off. However, Ms Oh said she had a shortage of staff.

Upset, Low then told Ms Oh that he wanted to resign.

"(She) responded by telling (him) that he could do so if that was what he wanted. (She) added that (he) could also move out of (their home) as well if he wanted to be fully independent," DPP Ho told the court.

Low then left the cafe again.

At about 8.50am, Ms Oh went home and found him there.

"While on the front porch of the residence, (she) again told (him) that he could move out of the residence," said DPP Ho.

Low immediately went up to his aunt and rained punches on the left side of her face.

Ms Oh fell to the ground bleeding from her nose.

Another of her nephews stopped Low from continuing to hit her.

Ms Oh was taken to Mount Elizabeth Hospital with a broken left eye socket and nasal bone. She was discharged four days later.

The total cost of her medical treatment and hospitalisation came up to $9,245.12.

Low could have been jailed for 10 years, and also fined or caned for causing grievous hurt.