SINGAPORE - A businesswoman who abused her Filipino domestic worker over five months was sentenced to nine months' mandatory treatment order (MTO) on Tuesday.

Ng Bee Lan, 43, who faced five maid abuse charges, had admitted to three counts of hurting Ms Jinky Berondo Cueva, then 32, at her home in Aston Mansion in Geylang in 2012.

The court heard that on a day in August 2012, Ng was angry with the maid for not preparing Milo for her two daughters, then aged five and three, when she wanted it done.

She hit the victim with a light-weight aluminium water bottle, causing her forehead to bleed.

Ng struck her again on the back of her head. Around the middle of November that year, Ng struck her domestic helper on her palm and forehead with a plastic ruler when she got upset over some household issues.

The victim suffered cuts on the forehead as a result. She was not given an opportunity to seek medical treatment.

A few days later, Ng punched the victim on the face a number of times when she was angry that the victim did not complete her tasks on time and for damaging a pair of scissors.

On Nov 20, Ms Cueva decided to leave the unit with another recently-hired domestic helper from Indonesia . They sought help from the Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics (HOME). The matter was reported to Ministry of Manpower the following day.

Two other charges of maid abuse were taken into consideration during her sentencing.

Ng has voluntarily compensated the victim $7,650 for salary owed for the remaining contract.

The maximum punishment for voluntarily causing hurt to a domestic helper is three years' jail and a $7,500 fine.