Student Admits Guilt for Public Nuisance

Didier Gaspard Owen Maximilien, 19, pleaded guilty to one count of public nuisance in the case; Maximilien, who is studying in Singapore, posted the video of himself licking the straw on Instagram with the caption ‘city is not safe.’

Many online reacted with disgust to his video, which was reposted on a community page and picked up by local news outlets; the viral nature of the incident contributed to the public’s strong reaction and the subsequent legal action.

Impact on Vending Machine Company

The company that owns the vending machine, iJooz, said it replaced all 500 straws in the machine dispenser after Maximilien’s stunt, while the company’s response highlights the scale of the issue and the need for hygiene in public spaces.

Serving freshly-squeezed orange juice at S$2 per cup, iJooz vending machines are a common sight in shopping districts, train stations and housing blocks in Singapore; the location of the machine is indicative of its accessibility and popularity among locals and visitors.

Public nuisance offenders in Singapore face up to a S$2,000 fine, three months in jail, or both — However, both the prosecution and the defence sought a fine for Maximilien. The court’s decision reflects the balance between the severity of the offense and the nature of the punishment.

Apology and Consequences

Maximilien is ‘truly sorry for having caused all this trouble and he realises that what appeared to him at that time as something perhaps playful has turned out to be something very consequential,’ a defense lawyer was quoted as saying by The Straits Times.

Maximilien licked the straw from an iJooz machine in Goldhill Centre on 12 March, in one of the city-state’s more affluent neighbourhoods, after a boxing workout, according to Channel News Asia. The location of the incident adds to the broader context of public health and safety concerns in urban settings.