In brief
In a case that went viral on social media, a 19‑year‑old French student was fined for licking a straw from an orange‑juice vending machine and placing it back. The incident sparked outrage online and was swiftly reported by local news outlets, leading to a court sentence of S$600 ($465). The company that owns the vending machine replaced all 500 straws after the stunt, and the student later expressed remorse for his actions.
A Singapore court fined 19‑year‑old French student Didier Gaspard Owen Maximilien S$600 ($465) for licking a straw from an orange‑juice vending machine and returning it.
The video, posted on Instagram with the caption “city is not safe,” shocked viewers and was picked up by local news outlets. Online reactions were largely negative, with many expressing disgust at what they saw as a reckless prank.
The manufacturer of the vending machine, iJooz, said it replaced all 500 straws in the dispenser after the incident. Singapore’s public‑nuisance law allows fines of up to S$2,000 and a maximum of three months in jail.
Both the prosecution and the defence sought a fine for Maximilien, and the court ultimately convicted him on a single count of public nuisance.
A defence lawyer later quoted by The Straits Times said, “Maximilien is truly sorry for having caused all this trouble and realizes that what appeared to him as playful has turned out to be consequential.”
iJooz vending machines sell freshly‑squeezed orange juice for about S$2 per cup and are common in shopping malls, train stations and residential areas across Singapore. The incident took place at the Goldhill Centre on 12 March after Maximilien had finished a boxing workout.
