- Maximilien licked the straw from an iJooz machine in Goldhill Centre on 12 March, in a prank filmed for social media.
- An employee of the company operating the machine saw the footage and contacted police.
- A Singapore court has fined Didier Gaspard Owen Maximilien, a French student, S$600 ($465) for the incident.
- All 500 straws in the dispenser had to be replaced as a result of the incident.
- Maximilien pleaded guilty to a public nuisance charge, which carries a penalty of up to three months in prison.
- Prosecutors sought the maximum fine of S$2,000 ($1,551), stating the act risked undermining confidence in the hygiene of a commonly used vending machine.
- Maximilien expressed deep remorse for his actions, realizing the prank had far-reaching consequences.
Didier Gaspard Owen Maximilien, a 19-year-old French student, was fined S$600 ($465) for a prank involving licking a straw from an orange juice vending machine and returning it. The incident occurred on March 12 at the Goldhill Centre in Singapore, where Maximilien filmed the act for social media.124781011
The prank, which was intended for online followers, led to a public nuisance charge after an employee of the vending machine company, iJooz, reported the incident to the police. As a result, all 500 straws in the dispenser had to be replaced, incurring a direct cost of just S$5 (around €3.30). However, prosecutors argued that the act risked undermining public confidence in hygiene standards.
Maximilien pleaded guilty and expressed remorse, with his lawyer stating he now understands the serious consequences of what he thought was a harmless prank. The public nuisance charge carries a penalty of up to S$2,000 and three months in jail. Prosecutors sought the maximum fine, emphasizing the potential risks associated with the stunt.9
Maximilien's defense highlighted his lack of family support in Singapore and his regret over the incident. He is quoted as saying he is “truly sorry for having caused all this trouble and he realizes that what appeared to him at that time as something perhaps playful has turned out to be something very consequential.”
The incident has sparked discussions about the implications of social media stunts and public safety in Singapore.
“Didier Gaspard Owen Maximilien, 19, pleaded guilty to a public nuisance charge after filming the prank for social media. The company operating the vending machine, iJooz, reported the incident, leading to a total replacement of all 500 straws in the dispenser.”
DW.com
BBC
