Failing to get a domestic worker to give him her phone number, a Bangladeshi marine trade worker molested her twice.

Hannan, 32, was at a playground in Teban Gardens Road on Sept 2 when he saw the 32-year-old Indonesian maid and asked for her number.

The woman, who was with another maid and two children, ignored him and quickly walked away along a sheltered path towards her block, but Hannan followed and molested her from behind.

Scared, the victim shouted at him not to touch her.

At the lift lobby, Hannan - who goes by only one name - approached the victim, who was holding the hand of one of the children, and asked for her number again.

Again she ignored him and moved away, but he followed and wrapped his arms around her tightly while he molested her again.

"The squeeze was harder than the first incident and the victim felt some pain. The victim broke free from the hug and dropped the young girl's hand," said Deputy Public Prosecutor Gail Wong.

Trying to break free, the victim squatted, covered her chest and screamed, while Hannan continued to hold on to her.

Finally, she managed to slip from his grasp, whereupon she turned around and hit him on the chest, causing him to back off.

She then pacified the little girl, who was crying.

A family member of her employer, who was overseas, helped her find Hannan and identify him to the police.

DPP Wong sought a stiff sentence , saying Hannan had committed the offences against a vulnerable victim multiple times persistently, and with escalating force.

District Judge Lim Tse Haw said the closed-circuit television footage showed the brazenness and audacity of Hannan in committing the offences.

The judge sentenced him to 11 months' jail and three strokes of the cane, and backdated his sentence to Sept 4.

Hannan could have been jailed for up to two years, fined, caned, or received any combined sentence on each charge.