SINGAPORE - A construction worker molested a domestic worker who was on her way home after shopping for groceries, a court heard.

Emboldened that the victim did not confront him, Shahabuddin Mohammed, 33, tailed her to the lift lobby of an HDB block, where he hugged her from behind and tried to carry her into the lift.

But the 23-year-old maid from Myanmar struggled and broke free from his grasp.

She went home and told her employer about what had happened and he called the police.

On Tuesday (Dec 27), Shahabuddin, a Bangladeshi national, was jailed for two months after he pleaded guilty to two molestation charges.

A district court heard that the victim went to a Sheng Siong supermarket along Jalan Bahar to buy groceries at about 8.15pm on Nov 14.

As she was walking home, she passed by a bus stop along the road.

Just then, Shahabuddin alighted from a bus.

He wanted to go to the supermarket, but changed his mind and decided to follow her instead as he wanted to befriend her, the court heard.

When the victim stopped to adjust her grip on her grocery bags, Shahabuddin bumped into her with his groin.

Scared and frightened, she hurried to her lift lobby.

"As the victim did not confront him, Shahabuddin knew that she was scared and did not dare to query his actions," said Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Yvonne Poon.

"He found her very pretty and decided to continue molesting her instead of making friends with her," the DPP added.

When the victim pressed the lift button at the lobby, Shahabuddin hugged her from behind and tried to carry her into the lift, where he intended to continue groping her.

He lifted her up for a few seconds, but she broke free and fled.

Shahabuddin gave chase, but stopped when he saw a car drive into the area.

He was arrested on Nov 30.

The penalty for using criminal force to outrage the modesty of a person is up to two years' jail, a fine, caning, or any combined punishment.