A French teenager is facing legal trouble in Singapore after a video of him licking a straw from an orange juice vending machine and replacing it went viral. Didier Gaspard Owen Maximilien, 18, was charged on April 24 with mischief and public nuisance, according to The Straits Times. The incident occurred at a shopping mall on March 12, and the video quickly spread online. The teen has not yet entered a plea.
The court has allowed Maximilien to travel to Manila from May 2 to 25 for a mandatory school trip required for his graduation from a French business school in Singapore. He is scheduled to return to court on May 29. Mischief carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison, a fine, or both, while public nuisance is punishable by up to three months in prison, a fine, or both.
IJooz, the company that owns the vending machine, filed a police report and sanitized the dispenser, replacing all 500 straws. The company plans to upgrade its machines with individually packaged straws and straw compartments that unlock only after payment. Lawyers for the teen declined to comment. Singapore, known for its strict public behavior and cleanliness laws, also limits chewing gum and imposes heavy penalties for littering and vandalism.
