SINGAPORE -Over nine days in February, a 50-year-old man approached women from behind in shopping malls and on the MRT and took upskirt videos of them using his cell phone.

Ong Chin Poh pleaded guilty and was sentenced to four months jail on Thursday (May 12) to three charges of insulting the modesty of a woman, with nine similar charges taken into consideration.

Over Feb 10 to 19 in 2016, he took 12 upskirt videos of women at places such as NEX shopping mall and a Daiso store at IMM mall. Seven videos were taken on different MRT and LRT lines.

According to court documents, a witness saw Ong board the MRT on Feb 19 at Jurong East MRT station in the direction of Bukit Gombak station. Ong positioned his mobile phone, on video recording mode, beneath the dress of a 24-year-old female Malaysian national standing in front of him and took a video of her inner thighs and underwear.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Ho Lian-Yi said people on public transport were in a vulnerable position, especially women, who should not have to be fearful of fellow commuters. The prevalence of mobile phones also meant a higher risk of such videos being disseminated, he said.

Ong, who was not represented by a lawyer, admitted to watching the videos at home for his sexual gratification. He pleaded for leniency on the grounds that he had to care for his elderly mother.

He could have been jailed for up to one year and/or fined for each charge.