SINGAPORE - A 21-year-old man was sentenced to seven years' jail and six strokes of the cane on Wednesday (Oct 7) for sexually assaulting and attempting to rape a 23-year-old Taiwanese tourist.

Ng Jun Xian was also jailed for two weeks for a charge of disorderly behaviour.

After meeting her at Club Sonar at Orchard Hotel, he offered to take the woman, who was visiting her boyfriend in Singapore, to another Hotel 81 on Lavender Street so that she could rest after a night of drinking last November.

But after checking in, he forced himself on the victim, violated her and tried to rape her.

When she broke free and tried to escape, he caught her, slapped her and pushed her back to the bed.

While out on bail, however, Ng also got into a brawl in a pub with at least five other people. He threw a chair at someone and also threw some punches. He was arrested again.

Ng pleaded guilty to the offences which he committed when he was 20 years old and serving his full-time national service.

In imposing a deterrent sentence on Ng, District Judge Matthew Joseph noted aggravating factors in the "wanton sexual assault on the victim". The judge also found the assault to be "bold, brazen and despicable".

Ng's lawyer A. Rajandran told the court he intended to lodge an appeal against his sentence. Ng was granted bail of $25,000.