A garment worker was sentenced to three years' jail and fined two million riel ($500) for the attempted rape last year of a female co-worker, according to a sentence read on Friday.

Kor Vandy, presiding judge at Phnom Penh Municipal Court, found Kang Sith, 24, guilty of attempting to rape Ouk Sara, 31, in Sen Sok district’s Teuk Thla commune last November.

According to commune police chief Pen Thol, the two workers lived in rental rooms near each other at the time.

“He entered into the victim’s room while she was sleeping alone,” Thol said. “He lay on her body and attempted to rape her. But she woke up and shouted. He used his hand to cover her mouth . . . so she bit [his finger] off and left him seriously wounded.” Both Sith and his defence lawyer could not be reached for comment yesterday.

During his hearing, Sith confessed to entering the victim’s room but said he was only trying to steal money.