SINGAPORE - A man who stole his former girlfriend's handbag and committed drug offences was jailed for 23 months on Thursday.

Oh Keng Yong, 34, pleaded guilty to taking and having Ecstasy, as well as using criminal force to steal Ms Soon Pei Ling's handbag containing cash and valuables. The total value of the stolen items was $19,600.

A district court heard that Oh committed the theft from his 22-year-old former girlfriend while out on bail for drug offences.

On April 6 last year, he was at Marina Bay Sands casino when he saw Ms Soon with a man. He tried to borrow $300 from her but she refused.

The next day, still feeling angry that she had refused to lend him money, he decided to confront her.

Before going to her flat in Circuit Road, he bought a 20cm-long knife.

Ms Soon, who had left home at about 3.15pm, was waiting at the lift lobby when Oh appeared with the knife and grabbed her. She shouted for help and a scuffle ensued.

He grabbed her Chanel bag worth $7,000. After he fled, she approached her neighbour for help to call the police.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Shen Wanqin said Oh initially intended to sell the bag and a $1,600 wallet, but relented when the victim pleaded with him to return the bag to her.

He kept $4,000 out of the $6,000 in the bag and squandered it at Marina Bay Sands.

The victim had a cut on her right ring finger and was given outpatient medical leave for two days.

Oh's lawyer Vinit Chhabra said he had bought the items for Ms Soon when they were dating. He had also spent a lot of money on her and wanted to get it back.

Oh, who is divorced with two children, could have been jailed for seven years and caned for using criminal force to steal. For the drug offences, he could have been jailed for up to 10 years and/or fined up to $20,000 each.