A 19-year-old French student was fined 600 Singapore dollars ($465) on Thursday after pleading guilty to public nuisance for filming himself licking a straw from an orange juice vending machine and putting it back.
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Didier Gaspard Owen Maximilien, who studies at a business school in Singapore, admitted doing the social media stunt for his online followers at a shopping mall in March. He was charged in April after the video became viral.
Public behaviour and sanitation are strictly regulated in Singapore, with authorities charging harsh penalties for littering and damage to public property.
According to ABC, public nuisance charge carries a penalty of up to three months in prison, but the prosecutors sought only the maximum fine of 2,000 Singapore dollars ($1,551), as they noted no evidence of harm, his young age, and that he pled guilty at the earliest opportunity.
Additionally, Maximilien would also be in France from September to December as part of his studies, leaving immigration authorities to decide if he can keep his student pass in Singapore.
Defense counsel, Kalidass Murugayan, said Maximilien, who has been living in Singapore without family support, has expressed deep remorse for his actions.
“He is truly sorry for having caused all this trouble”, the lawyer said.
According to Murugayan, Maximilien later removed the contaminated straw from the machine, never intending for anyone else. However, his parents will ensure that he paid the fine himself.
Earlier, IJooz, the company operating the juice vending machine, had filed police complain after the stunt, sanitized the dispenser, and replaced all 500 straws in the machine.
It announced upgrade in its vending machines, including individually packaged straws and compartments that remain locked till the transaction is complete.
