SINGAPORE — They hired an Indonesian domestic helper to take care of their newborn baby, but the unmarried couple abused her by slapping her several times, strangling her and even biting her wrist.

Lim Kheng Soon and Chong Siew Moi Jecyn Penpelnel, both Singaporeans, now face time behind bars.

Lim, 46, a taxi driver, was sentenced to three months and eight weeks’ jail on Wednesday (May 8) and ordered to pay compensation of S$1,000 to the helper, Ms Junairiyah Junaedi Artawi, 33.

Lim pleaded guilty to two counts of causing hurt, with another similar charge taken into consideration for sentencing.

Chong, 47, a human resource executive, pleaded guilty to one count of causing hurt. She was sentenced to eight weeks’ jail and has to pay S$500 in compensation.

Both will begin serving their sentences on May 31 and remain out on a bail of S$5,000 each.

Ms Junairiyah began working for the couple sometime in 2015.

In early August that year, the washing machine in the couple’s home began to leak, causing water to flow into the living room and dampen the wooden flooring. Ms Junairiyah tried to clean it up, but the floor remained damp.

Angry over this, Lim began scolding her. He kicked her thigh, slapped her cheek and grabbed her hair, and he continued to hit her despite her apologies.

He then told the helper that she would have to pay them S$2,000 for the damage.

About two years later on June 18, 2017, Chong grew angry when Ms Junairiyah left their daughter’s milk bottle in the sink.

The helper said that she left it there as she was in a hurry to take their two children to church for Sunday school.

When she heard this, Chong slapped Ms Junairiyah’s cheeks several times and pulled her hair. She also pulled the helper’s left hand and bit her on the left wrist.

Later that month, on the afternoon of June 29, Lim turned on the helper — this time, because she did not tell him she wanted to return to Indonesia and had instead talked to Chong’s brother about it.

He yelled at her and slapped her cheek as they stood at the main entrance of the flat. He then slapped her a few more times, pushed her against the wall and started strangling her with one hand.

Their neighbour living in the opposite unit, Ms Lim Lay Hoon, heard Lim yelling at Ms Junairiyah and went to her window to take a look. Ms Lim then called the police.

The helper was removed from the household and taken to the maid agency the next day. It was not stated in court if she has returned to Indonesia.

Ms Lim told the police during investigations that she had, on many previous occasions, heard Lim scolding Ms Junairiyah loudly. This was sometimes accompanied by the sound of someone being slapped.

In mitigation, the couple's lawyer John Koh said that they were angry with Ms Junairiyah because she had not lived up to their standards, though he added that this did not excuse their actions.

For voluntarily causing hurt, Chong and Lim could have each been jailed up to two years and fined up to S$5,000.