SINGAPORE - A jobless man threatened a cruise ship worker with a knife during a row, leaving him so frightened that he climbed out of a 10th floor apartment and stood on a ledge to escape him.

Muhammad Harith Yusof, 26, was jailed for three months on Monday after pleading guilty to criminal intimidation.

He threatened 28-year-old American Mr Lee Pierce with the 21cm blade at a Claymore Hill flat at around 2.30am on Sept 28 last year.

The two men had been drinking in Orchard Road with Harith's ex-girlfriend - 21-year-old American Valerie Graybeal - when a row broke out.

It escalated later when they went to the flat, with Harith grabbing the kitchen knife and pointing it at Mr Pierce.

When he went out on to the ledge, Harith tried to climb out and follow him but was pulled back by his ex-girlfriend who later called police.

Pleading for leniency, Harith told the court he was remorseful and had now found a good job but Deputy Public Prosecutor Tay Jingxi sought a short jail term.

Harith had a causing hurt charge taken into consideration. He could have been jailed for up to two years and/or fined for criminal intimidation.