Singapore fines French student for licking vending machine straw
Didier Gaspard Owen Maximilien pleaded guilty to public nuisance after posting the video online
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A French student studying in Singapore has been fined S$600 after licking a straw from an orange juice vending machine and returning it to the dispenser. Didier Gaspard Owen Maximilien, 19, pleaded guilty to one charge of public nuisance at a Singapore court, as reported by the BBC.
The incident took place on 12 March at an iJooz vending machine in Goldhill Centre, an area in central Singapore. Maximilien filmed himself performing the act and posted the video on Instagram with the caption "city is not safe". The video was later reposted on a community page and picked up by local news outlets, including Channel News Asia.
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Public reaction and company response
The video sparked widespread disgust online. The company that operates the vending machines, iJooz, told the BBC it replaced all 500 straws in the machine after the incident. The machines, which serve freshly-squeezed orange juice for S$2 per cup, are common in Singapore’s shopping districts, train stations and housing blocks.
Public nuisance offences in Singapore can result in a fine of up to S$2,000, three months in jail, or both. Both the prosecution and Maximilien’s defence requested a fine, according to The Straits Times.
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“He is 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.”
Defence lawyer, as quoted by The Straits Times
Channel News Asia reported that Maximilien performed the stunt after a boxing workout. Goldhill Centre, where the machine was located, is in one of Singapore’s more affluent neighbourhoods.
What happens next
Maximilien has paid the fine. It is unclear whether he will face any further consequences from his university or immigration authorities. iJooz has not commented on whether it will take additional measures to prevent similar incidents.
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