SINGAPORE - A maid who robbed her employer and repeatedly struck the latter's head with a laptop until the device broke was on Monday (March 21) sentenced to six years and six months' jail.

The Myanmar national, now 36, was also ordered to spend an additional four months behind bars in lieu of 12 strokes of the cane. This is because women cannot be caned as part of their punishment.

After committing the robbery, she fled her employer's Commonwealth flat with more than $37,000 in cash and valuables.

She then bought a plane ticket to return to Myanmar but was arrested before she could board her flight.

She had earlier pleaded guilty to voluntarily causing grievous hurt in committing robbery. One charge of cheating by personation was considered during sentencing.

The maid and her employer cannot be named due to a gag order to protect the latter's identity.

The employer, 61, was asleep in her bedroom when she felt something sharp on her neck at around 10.30am on Jan 17, 2020.

She opened her eyes to find her maid on the bed holding a kitchen knife, threatening to kill her unless she handed over her valuables.

A struggle ensued between the two women and the knife wounded the employer's hands in the scuffle.

The maid then used a laptop to hit the victim, who tried to protect herself by covering her head with her hands.

In an earlier proceeding, Deputy Public Prosecutor Jane Lim said: "The victim pleaded with the accused not to harm her and told her that the key to her valuables was in a sling bag."

The maid retrieved the key and took the older woman's valuables from a cabinet.

After that, she took her employer's diamond ring and removed her necklace with a pair of scissors. The valuables and cash she took amounted to more than $37,000.

The employer then told the maid to take a train when she asked how to go to the airport.

The maid left the flat after tying her employer up with some pieces of cloth.

The Myanmar national then made her way to the City Hall area to buy a plane ticket home.

Soon after, she used her employer's credit card to pay for a taxi ride to Changi Airport, but was arrested before she could board her flight.

Meanwhile, the victim, who was bleeding from her hands and head, managed to free herself and crawled to the living room to call the police.

She also locked the doors to her home while waiting for help as she was afraid her maid would return.

She was taken to hospital and later found with lacerations on her hand and scalp, as well as a fracture to the little finger of her left hand.

The DPP said: "The victim complained that she is not able to bend her finger fully to date.

"She also complained of experiencing trauma and having problems sleeping in her own home due to a fear of being stabbed."

Defence lawyer Yvonne Mak from Withers KhattarWong had earlier told the court that her client had difficulties working in Singapore and perceived that she had been treated with contempt by her employer's family.

Ms Mak also said that the maid had asked her employer if she could return to Myanmar two months after she started working for the household.

The lawyer said: "Her employer told her to reimburse a sum of $5,000, which was the cost of bringing her here. That was impossible for her to raise."

The court heard that the maid felt that she "had no choice" but to serve the two-year contract and it had felt "intolerable" to her.