A CHINESE national who brushed the buttocks of a woman at VivoCity last November was fined $1,500 on Monday.

Senior food technologist Fang Yuanchao, 34, pleaded guilty to molesting the 24-year-old engineer at Action City, a gift shop, last Nov 8.

A district court heard that the woman was looking at some lamps in the shop at the Harbourfront Walk shopping mall with her back facing the passageway when Fang decided to walk behind her and touch her buttocks.

He walked past her and intentionally brushed his right hand against her buttocks, but he acted as if it was an accident and left.

The woman told her 26-year-old boyfriend what had happened and he detained Fang.

Another charge of touching her right thigh and a third charge of molesting another 27-year-old woman were taken into consideration.

Pleading for a fine, Fang's lawyer, Mr Wendell Wong, said his client, whose family is living in Shanghai, had adjustment problem as this was his first working stint abroad.

After paying the fine, Fang later flew back to China to join his family for the Chinese New Year celebrations.

He could have been jailed for up to two years or fined or caned, or received both