SINGAPORE, July 13 ― A Malaysian cleaner was sentenced to 12 months' jail and ordered to pay compensation of S$688 (RM2,031) to a victim after he pleaded guilty to causing grievous hurt, The Straits Times reported today.

The State Court heard that Mohammed Hafian Suaily, 20, had been angry with Norhayati Mohammad Abas, 24, for some time as he believed that she had been spreading rumours about him and his fiancee's family to their neighbours.

Mohammed Hafian was reported to have kicked Norhayati near her spine while she was sleeping at a unit in Jalan Minyak, off Chin Swee Road, at about 4am on February 6 this year.

Quoting Deputy Public Prosecutor Michelle Lu, the report said he also grabbed Norhayati's hair, asking her to wake up.

When she sat up, he kicked her near her left eye area once, causing her to have blurred vision and a bleeding nose.      

He then slapped her and told her that if his fiancee did not return in an hour's time, she would "die in his hands”, the report said.

Quoting District Judge Low Wee Ping, the report said what Mohammed Hafian did was "very cruel”.

Low said Mohammed Hafian caused so many injuries to the victim that until now, she has not fully recovered, especially her vision.

Mohammed Hafian said he was very angry then, and had apologised to the victim who is also his fiancee's cousin.

 Mohammed Hafian was allowed to defer sentence until August 10.

He could have been jailed for up to 10 years, fined or caned for causing grievous hurt, said the report. ― Bernama