French Teenager Fined S$600 in Singapore for Viral Straw-Licking Incident

A 19-year-old French student, Didier Gaspard Owen Maximilien, has been fined S$600 (US$465) by a Singapore court for public nuisance after filming himself licking a straw from an iJooz vending machine and returning it to the dispenser.

The incident occurred on March 12 at Goldhill Centre following a boxing workout. Maximilien licked approximately half of a straw, placed it back into the machine's dispenser, filmed the act, and then retrieved the contaminated straw before leaving with his drink. The video was uploaded to Instagram with the caption "city is not safe," though other reports indicate the footage went viral after someone in his social circle forwarded it to media outlets.

As a result of the stunt, iJooz replaced all 500 straws in the machine's dispenser. Maximilien pleaded guilty to one count of public nuisance, while a second charge of mischief was taken into consideration. While public nuisance offenders in Singapore can face up to three months in jail or a S$2,000 fine, both the prosecution and defense agreed that a fine was appropriate given the defendant's youth.

During court proceedings, it was noted that probation or community-based sentences were considered but deemed impractical because Maximilien's father works in France, creating logistical difficulties in securing a local guardian. The judge ultimately agreed with the fine submitted by the defense. Maximilien expressed remorse through his lawyer, stating he now realizes the consequences of what he initially viewed as playful.