SINGAPORE - A Bangladeshi construction worker was jailed for a year on Wednesday (Sept 6) after molesting three teenage girls while travelling on the MRT.

Ray Chandan, 37, pleaded guilty to two counts of outrage of modesty.

A third count of molestation involving a 15-year-old girl was taken into consideration during sentencing.

The court heard that Ray usually molested his victims between Yishun and Khatib stations, as the train would be more crowded at this stretch - making it easier for him to stand close to them.

At around 6.50am on May 11, he boarded the train at Sembawang station with his first victim, who was wearing her school uniform.

The 17-year-old girl stood behind him and kept herself occupied with her mobile phone.

Seeing that the girl was engrossed with the device, Ray molested her.

The girl looked down and saw his knuckle touching her private parts over her clothes.

When she stepped back, he moved towards her and continued committing the offence.

The girl then decided to snap his picture before alighting at Yio Chu Kang station.

She lodged a police report at around 10.20am that day.

Ray struck again on July 12 when he molested a 13-year-old girl, who was also in her school uniform.

He boarded the train at Sembawang station at around 6.35am that day, and spotted the student standing near a door, with her back against a glass partition.

He stood close to her and placed his hand on her pelvis.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Gail Wong said: "The second victim tried to push the accused's hands away, but the accused continued to press his hand there. The second victim moved slightly to the right, but the accused still kept his hand there.

"The accused only moved his hand... when he saw that the second victim was about to alight at Yishun station."

The girl told her teacher when she reached her school before informing the police about her ordeal.

DPP Wong urged District Judge Jasvender Kaur to jail the Bangladeshi for a year.

She said: "The offences took place on an MRT, and such offences are a threat to public safety."

Ray, who was unrepresented, told the court that he was sorry for what he had done.

For molesting the 13-year-old girl, he could have been jailed for up to five years and fined or caned.

And for molesting the 17-year-old, he could have been jailed for up to two years and fined or caned.