UNPROVOKED AND THUGGISH ATTACK: PROSECUTOR
Deputy Public Prosecutor Vincent Ong asked for two weeks' jail to be imposed, saying Mills had committed an "unprovoked and thuggish attack" on a security officer merely doing his duty.
He said Mills was drunk and had first tried to trip Mr Lim, who later fell to the ground with a "single forceful blow to the head".
Mills' lawyer told the court that his client was "utterly remorseful for what he has done".
"The surest sign of his remorse is the fact that he had returned to the scene when he realised what he had done and he had returned to the scene to apologise to the victim, even though he knew that by returning, it would lead to his own identification," said Mr Tiwary.
Mills has also paid S$2,000 in compensation to the victim and indicated from the start that he wanted to plead guilty.
"He realises the embarrassment he has caused the victim and he's trying to make compensation by paying the victim something," said the lawyer. "He has repeatedly said to me that he regrets his actions. They were uncalled for, and he understands that."
This is Mills' first brush with the law in Singapore and overseas, said the lawyer.
"He realised when he saw the video how bizarre and unexplainable his behaviour was," he added. "He has been seeking medical help, he has been diagnosed with major depressive disorder. I'm not saying there's any causal link, but he's taking steps to reform his behaviour."
ACCUSED RECEIVED ABUSE, HATE MAIL: DEFENCE
Mr Tiwary said that Mills "has himself become the subject of abuse and hatred through messages received on his phone and even through letters sent to his address".
"This is because somebody has released his personal information online and people have this information," said the lawyer.
The prosecution said that while Mills did save the police some time in apprehending him, "it's not as if there was no other way he could be identified".
There were clips of the incident and members of the public had "somehow" managed to identify Mills, he said.
District Judge Christopher Tan said he noted that the victim had tried to walk away from an entirely unprovoked attack, but Mills had gone after him, trying to trip him before attacking a sensitive part of his body.
He accepted the prosecution's argument that security officers are in a very vulnerable position, being exposed to risks.
”And unlike the police, they do not have the necessary legal powers to protect themselves from that risk and this is a factor that can be taken to support the conclusion that they are deserving of a certain degree of protection," said the judge.
For hurting Mr Lim, Mills could have been jailed for up to two years and fined a maximum of S$5,000.