A Canadian who was in Singapore on an employment pass planted a miniature recording device in the kitchen toilet of his condominium unit to film his domestic worker.

Former regional chief information officer Paul Kwan, 52, was yesterday jailed for 12 weeks on two counts of intruding into the privacy of the 28-year-old Indonesian at his home in the Newton area on July 30 and 31 last year. He pleaded guilty.

Each time on July 28, 29 and Aug 1, Kwan placed the camera on the bottom of a shelf in the toilet. He used adhesive to mount it on the wall, then hid it behind a window scraper. He fitted the lens into a hole in the scraper with the camera pointing towards the shower stall.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Chew Xin Ying said Kwan managed to capture the victim using the toilet on July 30, and showering the next day.

On Aug 1, the victim was cleaning the toilet when she spotted the camera. She removed it and headed to her agent, who called the police.

DPP Chew sought at least 12 weeks' jail per charge, saying there was a high degree of planning and premeditation. She said there was a grave intrusion of privacy of the domestic worker. A miniature recording device was used, and Kwan had abused his position of trust.

Kwan's lawyer Amarjit Singh said his client was deeply remorseful. He said that as a result of the incident, Kwan had lost his job and is now unemployed.

District Judge Samuel Chua said domestic workers are entitled to work in a safe environment without the fear of having their privacy intruded upon by members of the household they are working in.