Ad agency owner jailed for punching security supervisor

The owner of an advertising firm, who could not find an unlocked exit at Roxy Square shopping centre, assaulted a security supervisor even though the latter offered to show him the way out.

Briton Stuart Boyd Mills was sentenced yesterday to a week's jail for assaulting Mr Andrew Lim Cheng Hock, 59. A harassment charge was considered during sentencing.

The 47-year-old Singapore permanent resident, who owns The Creative Mills, was captured on video punching the older man. The clip went viral earlier this year.

The single blow caused Mr Lim to fall backwards onto the floor and break his spectacles.

Yesterday, District Judge Christopher Tan noted that Mills had punched Mr Lim's face, which is a "sensitive" part of the body.

He also said the attack was "entirely unprovoked", stressing that "general deterrence (was) relevant" in this case as security officers are often in a vulnerable position.

The court heard that Mills and a friend had gone to a pub at the East Coast Road shopping mall and ended their drinking session at around midnight on April 4. Mills was drunk after consuming about a third of a bottle of whisky.

He walked around Roxy Square and became frustrated when he could not find an unlocked exit.

He spoke to a security officer on duty and demanded to see his supervisor over the perceived lack of unlocked exits. The officer took Mills to see Mr Lim, who noticed that the Briton reeked of alcohol.

Mr Lim offered to show Mills an exit. Despite this, Mills was still unhappy and quarrelled with the security supervisor "over the propriety of the number of available exits in the building".

Noting that Mills was getting more aggressive, Mr Lim asked his colleague to record the encounter.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Vincent Ong said Mr Lim did not shout at or scold Mills. He walked towards an exit to show Mills the way out, and the Briton followed him.

The DPP said: "As they rounded a corner near the loading bay, the accused blocked the victim's way with his body. When the victim tried to move past, the accused used his right foot to try to trip the victim.

"The victim stumbled but did not fall. However, the accused instead lost his balance and almost fell. The accused then got angry and used his right fist to punch the victim once on the right side of his face. The punch caused the victim to fall backwards to the floor and his spectacles to break."

Mills hurled an expletive at Mr Lim and left the scene, the court heard.

The older man phoned the police before going to Bedok Polyclinic. He was found to have tenderness over his right eye socket.