A storekeeper was jailed for four months on Tuesday for molesting a female taxi driver. Malaysian Vikneswaran Veera Muthu, 20, boarded the 45-year-old driver's taxi with a friend in Bedok on May 31 and directed her to go to MacPherson.

Along Pan-Island Expressway, he was seen moving his body towards the driver's seat, and all of a sudden, leaned forward towards the victim's seat and put his hand through the gap on the right and grabbed her breast. She shouted at him and he released his grip.

The victim then noticed that he was still leaning forward and that both his hands were near her chest area. She then informed Vikneswaran's friend, Mr Mohamed Arif Mohamed Nor, 27, who was also sitting behind, what had happened. Mr Mohamed Arif immediately pulled Vikneswaran back.

Vikneswaran apologised to the victim, who then locked the taxi doors and drove both men to the nearest police post to lodge a report. Vikneswaran, who pleaded guilty, could have been jailed for up to two years, fined, caned or received any of the combined punishments.