An unemployed man was jailed for 17 months on Friday for molesting female students and glue sniffing.

Xiao Junhui, 28, admitted to touching the breast of a 16-year-old student at a void deck in Ang Mo Kio and that of an 11-year-old girl on Aug 21. He also admitted to inhaling toluene at his home at Block 466 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10 on Aug 22.

Another charge of molesting a 13-year-old girl was taken into consideration.

A district court heard that the 16-year-old was waiting for a friend at the void deck to walk to school together when Xiao came from behind and molested her.

Ten minutes later, he similarly touched the 11-year-old student's chest while she was crossing the traffic light junction near Block 465 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10 on her way to school.

He was arrested the next day in a police ambush. At the time of his arrest, he smelt strongly of glue. He admitted to police that he had sniffed glue at about 3am to help him sleep.

He was placed under SAF detention in 2004 and 12 months' supervision in 2006 for misuse of intoxicating substance.

His sentence was backdated to his remand on Aug 23.

He could have been jailed for up to two years, fined, caned or received any combined sentence for each count of outrage of modesty.

For inhalant abuse, the maximum penalty is a $2,000 fine and six months' jail.