SINGAPORE, July 30: A French student was fined 600 Singapore dollars (USD 465) after pleading guilty Thursday to a public nuisance charge in Singapore for filming himself licking a straw from an orange juice vending machine and putting it back in what lawyers described as a social media stunt.
Didier Gaspard Owen Maximilien, 19, admitted to licking the straw and returning it to the vending machine while recording the act for his online followers. It happened at a shopping mall in March and he was charged in April after his video spread rapidly.
Another charge of mischief was taken into consideration during sentencing. The court imposed the fine and did not order any community-based sentence after considering mitigating factors.
The public nuisance charge carries a penalty of up to three months in prison. Prosecutors sought only the maximum fine of 2,000 Singapore dollars (USD 1,551), saying the staged act was intended for social media and risked undermining confidence in the hygiene of a commonly used vending machine.
They noted Maximilien retrieved the straw himself, no member of the public used it, there was no evidence of harm, he was young and pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.
Maximilien studies in a business school in Singapore, but prosecutors told the court he would also be in France from September to December as part of his studies.
Prosecutors said immigration authorities will decide if Maximilien can keep his student pass in Singapore after considering all relevant factors.
Defence counsel Kalidass Murugayan said the student has been living in Singapore without family support and expressed deep remorse for his actions. He said the video was a stunt for social media followers and that Maximilien later removed the contaminated straw from the machine to use for his own drink, meaning it was never intended for anyone else.
“He is truly sorry for having caused all this trouble,” the lawyer said. His parents will ensure that he paid the fine himself, the counsel added. The student left the court without speaking to reporters.
IJooz, the company operating the juice vending machine, filed a police report over the stunt and sanitised the dispenser while replacing all 500 straws in the machine. It has said it would upgrade its machines to include measures such as individually packaged straws and compartments that unlock only after the transaction is completed.
Singapore, a densely populated city-state, tightly regulates public behaviour and cleanliness and has strong penalties for littering and vandalism. (AP)
