SINGAPORE - A former marketing manager who punched jazz singer Dawn Ho in the face was fined $3,000 on Wednesday.

Australian Aaron Peter Jeremicjczyk, a 39-year-old Singapore permanent resident, had admitted causing hurt to her at the Beach Station on Sentosa at about 9.20pm on March 9 last year.

The court heard that 35-year-old Ms Ho had seen Jeremicjczyk, his girlfriend and a friend arguing with a limousine driver about the price of a fare and told him to stop shouting.

She and a friend had tried to calm him down but as they were about to drive off, Jeremicjczyk approached the open passenger door window of their vehicle and punched Ms Ho on the nose, causing redness and swelling.

Defence lawyer Shashi Nathan said in mitigation that Ms Ho had made provocative, insulting and racist comments about his client which sparked off the incident, but he made no excuses for his actions.

The incident was reported on social media and the lawyer said this left Jeremicjczyk "with a tarnished image due to the comments made by the victim on various blog sites".

Two days after the incident, Jeremicjczyk lost his job in the food and beverage industry.

Mr Nathan said Jeremicjczyk had wanted to meet Ms Ho to apologise and compensate her but nothing came out of it despite discussions with her lawyers.

Jeremicjczyk could have been jailed for up to two years and/or fined up to $5,000 for causing hurt.