SINGAPORE - A lawyer was cleared on Thursday (Nov 26) of molesting a woman in a hotel room after he compounded the matter.

Mr Ismail Atan, 44, was given a discharge amounting to an acquittal for using criminal force on the 28-year-old woman by forcefully grabbing her by her arms and trying to kiss and hug her.

The alleged incident took place in the hotel room in the Balmoral area on the afternoon of July 4, 2013.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Dwayne Lum told the court the matter has been compounded and a letter of apology had been submitted.

Mr Ismail's lawyer, Mr Mohan Das Naidu, confirmed this.

Mr Ismail's case was fixed originally for trial for two days.

The law allows certain criminal offences - such as simple molestation, wrongful restraint and mischief - to be settled out of court if the victim agrees to drop the matter in return for some form of compensation.

Offenders whose cases are compounded will not get a criminal record.

The maximum punishment for outrage of modesty is two years' jail, fine and caning.