SINGAPORE - A woman accused of multiple counts of maid abuse allegedly told the helper to eat hair left on a toilet floor and a piece of dirty cotton wool found on a table.

Singaporean Tan Hui Mei, 34, who appeared in a district court last Thursday (April 9), faces three assault charges and two counts of harassing the Indonesian woman.

All five charges allegedly involved Ms Muslikhah, who goes by only one name.

The two women were in a Tampines Street 83 flat some time between November 2018 and April last year when Tan allegedly told the maid to eat the hair.

In another incident, she allegedly told Ms Muslikhah to eat a piece of dirty cotton wool found on a dining table.

Court documents did not state if the maid consumed the items or why she was allegedly told to do so.

Tan is said to have struck Ms Muslikhah's head with a plastic clothes hanger some time between January and February last year.

She is accused of hitting the maid's forehead thrice and slapping her face on March 30 last year.

The next day, Tan allegedly pinched Ms Muslikhah's right forearm, causing a bruise.

Tan was just one of several Singaporeans who have been hauled to court this year over such offences.

Just last month, another woman, Mun Sau Yeng, 40, pleaded guilty to three counts of maid abuse involving Indonesian Yuni Dwi Lestari, 25.

On Feb 4 last year, the housewife used a mallet-like meat pounder to hit the maid's teeth once, chipping a tooth.

Three days later, Mun punched Ms Yuni in the mouth about 10 times. As a result, the maid's teeth came loose and she started bleeding from her lips.

Mun tormented Ms Yuni yet again about four days later, punching the maid's left cheek several times. Mun will be sentenced on May 6.

Separately, former policewoman Nazriah Md Isa, 41, was sentenced to two weeks' jail in February after pleading guilty to two assault charges.

She had committed offences including kicking her then maid's right calf in 2018.

The 36-year-old maid's name had been redacted from court documents.

Tan's case has been adjourned to May 14.

If convicted of assaulting Ms Muslikhah, she can be jailed for up to three years and fined up to $7,500 for each charge.