SINGAPORE - A repeat offender who molested two women at a block of flats in Henderson Crescent was jailed for 20 months on Friday (Nov 20).

Muhammad Surya Mohd Hatta, 23, pleaded guilty to grabbing a 29-year-old woman's buttocks along the common corridor near the lift lobby at 7.39pm on Oct 20 and to a groping another woman, also 29,on the ground floor a minute later.

A district court heard that he had followed the first woman from Redhill MRT station to the lift lobby of the block. Both got into the lift and they alighted at the third floor.

Surya came from behind and used his hand to grab the woman's buttocks before fleeing down the stairs. He saw the second woman waiting for the lift. She did not see him and he put his hand under her dress and touched her.

Surya had similar convictions in 20 12 and 2014. He was last given 12 months' jail for molestation.

Surya, who was unrepresented, apologised for what he did. He said he committed the offences as he had not taken his medication to help him "relax''.

He said he was the sole breadwinner in the family and that he was in seven months' arrears for his rental flat.

District Judge Hamidah Ibrahim told him he was not supposed to commit any offences, let alone this type of offence.

"At the rate you are going, you will be looking at corrective training in future," she said.

He could have been jailed for up to two years, fined, caned or received any combined sentence.