A part-time driver, who was promised sexual services at a spa, transferred $400 to a man posing as a masseuse's employer - only to find out later that he had been scammed.

Danon Tay Kok Lee, 46, went to Cozy Spa at Block 532 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 5 the next day to look for the "boss" known only as "Long Ge". But when he reached the spa, three women who were working there said there was no such person.

Still unhappy, Tay told his friend, cleaner Yeo Shuxing, to retrieve a penknife from his car. A district court heard that Tay then threatened the women with the weapon and asked Yeo to remove the spa's closed-circuit television camera.

Yeo, who did as he was told, pleaded guilty yesterday to one count each of theft, abetment of criminal intimidation and mischief. The 37-year-old Singaporean was sentenced to four months and a week's jail.

Tay's case is still pending and court documents did not state the outcome of the sex scam.

On Sept 22 last year, Yeo befriended a woman called Jasmine Poh through communication app MiChat and was told that for $100, she would provide two hours of "massage" services at Cozy Spa.

He passed her contact to Tay, who decided to engage her services later that day.

Long Ge later contacted Tay, who transferred $100 to him. Long Ge contacted him again soon after to ask for "security payment" and Tay handed over another $300.

Tay later realised that he had been duped when Long Ge asked for more money and Ms Poh did not turn up to meet him.

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He went to Cozy Spa with Yeo the next day and confronted the three women who were working there. After receiving the penknife from Yeo, Tay pointed the weapon at the trio and ordered them to call their boss, the court heard.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Zhou Yang said Tay then got into a scuffle with two of the women when he tried to take their mobile phones.

Yeo Shuxing pleaded guilty to one count each of theft, abetment of criminal intimidation and mischief. The 37-year-old Singaporean was sentenced to four months and a week's jail.

In an unrelated case, Yeo went to a supermarket at Block 631 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 4 last June and stole items worth nearly $10 in total, including a $6.80 bottle of hair conditioner.