SingaporeAP —
A French student was fined S$600 ($465) in Singapore on Thursday after pleading guilty to filming himself licking the straw of an orange juice vending machine and then replacing it in what his lawyer described as a social media stunt.
Didier Gaspard Owen-Maximilian, 19, admitted to licking the straw and putting it back in the vending machine as he recorded the act for his online followers. The incident occurred at a shopping mall in March and charges were filed in April after the video went viral.
Other mischief charges were also taken into consideration during sentencing. The court imposed a fine but did not order any community-based penalties after considering mitigating factors.
Public nuisance charges are punishable by up to three months in prison. Prosecutors sought only a maximum fine of S$2,000 ($1,551), saying the staged act was aimed at social media and risked undermining confidence in the sanitary conditions of commonly used vending machines.
They pointed out that Maximilian had collected the straw himself, that no member of the public had used it, that there was no evidence of harm, that he was young, and that he had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.
Maximilian is studying at a business school in Singapore, but prosecutors told the court that Maximilian will also be in France from September to December as part of his studies.
The prosecutor’s office said immigration authorities will consider all relevant factors before deciding whether Mr Maximilian can keep his student card in Singapore.
Defense lawyer Kalidas Murugayan said the student was living in Singapore without family support and had expressed deep remorse for his actions. He said the video was a stunt against his social media followers and that Maximilian then removed the contaminated straw from the machine to use for his own drinks, meaning it was never intended for anyone else.
The lawyer said, “We are truly sorry for causing such trouble.” His parents will ensure he pays the fine himself, the lawyer added. The student left the courtroom without saying anything to reporters.
Juice vending machine operator Ijaw’s reported the stunt to the police and disinfected the dispenser while replacing all 500 straws in the machine. The company said it would upgrade its machines to incorporate measures such as individually wrapped straws and compartments that are only unlocked after a transaction is completed.
Singapore is a densely populated city-state that strictly regulates public behavior and cleanliness, with severe penalties for littering and vandalism.
