French student fined after licking vending machine straw and putting it back
Didier Gaspard Owen Maximilien, 19, pleaded guilty to one count of public nuisance following the viral social media stunt
Didier Gaspard Owen Maximilien pleaded guilty to a public nuisance charge in Singapore for the straw-licking stunt.
Picture:
Getty
A Singaporean court has fined a French student £348 for licking a straw from an orange juice vending machine, before putting it back into its dispenser. Didier Gaspard Owen Maximilien pleaded guilty to one count of public nuisance.The 19-year-old, who is studying in Singapore, shared the video of himself licking the straw on Instagram on 12 March, adding the caption "city is not safe".His video was met with disgust and reposted in community groups, which eventually caught the attention of local news outlets.Read more: Death toll of devastating Japanese earthquake rises to 25, as survivors battle no water or electricity in heatwaveRead more: Hundreds of holidaymakers evacuated as Suffolk wildfire sparks major incident and firefighters battle through the night
The vending machine company, iJooz, confirmed it had replaced all 500 of the machines following the teenager’s stunt.The charge of public nuisance in Singapore carries a fine of up to S$2,000, three months in jail, or both.A fine was sought for Maximilien by both the prosecution and the defence.The teen’s defence said he was "truly sorry for having caused all this trouble and he realises that what appeared to him at that time as something perhaps playful has turned out to be something very consequential," according to The Straits Times.
The charge of public nuisance in Singapore carries a fine of up to S$2,000, three months in jail, or both.
Picture:
Getty
iJooz vending machines are common in commercial districts, train stations and residential blocks in Singapore.The straw in question belongs to an iJooz machine in Goldhill Centre, in one of the city-state's more affluent areas, and was licked by the teen after a boxing workout, according to Channel News Asia.The viral video was met with appalled responses on social media. One user on X slammed "abusive content creators", writing: "Glad to see countries are starting to stand up against abusive content creators who disrespect their culture and laws. Especially in Asian countries, where they are seen as a soft target."Another acknowledged the risk of the stunt, but questioned the severity of the potential punishment, writing: "Post-2020, people take public hygiene stuff seriously. Still, jail feels extreme."
