A factory worker who rented a bed space from a former colleague molested the latter's nine-year-old daughter, who has low IQ.

The 30-year-old man, a Chinese national, was sentenced to four years' jail and ordered to be given nine strokes of the cane on Wednesday (Sept 19). He pleaded guilty to three counts of molestation.

The man cannot be named due to a gag order to protect the victim's identity.

The court heard that the man moved into the flat of the girl's father in October 2016.

As the second bedroom had already been rented out, he slept on a double-decker bed in the master bedroom, where the father and his daughter each had a single bed.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Chee Ee Ling said there were times when the victim's father, who is divorced, would entrust his daughter in the accused's care, such as asking him to pick her up from the students' care centre.

But in July last year, the Chinese national molested the girl on two separate occasions when they were alone in the flat. He molested her a third time the following month.

DPP Chee said: "The victim grew increasingly distressed with the accused's sexual assaults. She did not like what the accused was doing to her but did not dare to confide in her father as she was afraid he would not believe her."

Finally, on Aug 23 last year, she told her school teacher and counsellor about the molestation.

They took her to the Bedok North Neighbourhood Police Centre to make a police report.

For each count of molestation, the Chinese national could have been jailed for up to five years and fined or caned.