AN ENGINEER was sentenced to three weeks' jail on Monday for using a rolling pin to assault his Filipino maid.

Xing Likun, 36, had admitted hitting Ms Irene Israel Miguel on the calf and back with the rolling pin and kicking her on her knee last July 18.

The 36-year-old maid started working at Xing's Yishun flat since March last year.

On July 17, she was in the kitchen when his elder child asked for a Vitagen.

When Xing's wife saw her daughter drinking Vitagen, she got angry and scolded the maid.

She told the maid to take the child to the playground.

Xing came and looked for her and told her to return to the flat.

He then told the victim to to go to the kitchen where he scolded her for making him angry. Telling her to face the wall, he took a wooden rolling pin and hit her on the back and her right calf. He hit her back again, causing her to fall to the ground. He then kicked her on her knee.

District Judge Shaiffudin Saruwan said if not for Xing's impaired judgment and impulse control he would have been given him a higher sentence.

Xing was given until July 7 to start his sentence as he is in the midst of a project.

He could have been jailed for up to 18 months and fined up to $1,500 for causing hurt.