Full Breakdown
French Teen Charged Over Vending-Machine Straw Licking in Singapore
5/1/2026, 2:57:03 PM
Incident and Charges
On 12 March 2026, 18-year-old French student Didier Gaspard Owen Maximilien filmed himself licking a straw from an iJooz orange-juice vending machine at Goldhill Centre mall and returning it to the dispenser. He posted the clip on Instagram with the caption “city is not safe”. The video went viral, leading iJooz to replace all 500 straws and file a police report. Singapore’s strict hygiene laws classify the act as mischief and public nuisance; the former carries up to two years’ imprisonment and fines, the latter up to three months’ imprisonment and a fine of up to S$2,000. Maximilien was charged on 24 April and ordered to post a S$5,000 bail, surrender his passport on return, and remain reachable by the investigating officer.
Timeline
12 Mar 2026 – Incident and Instagram post. 24 Apr 2026 – Charges filed. 29 Apr 2026 – Court approved leave for a “field experience” trip to Manila (2-25 May). 22 May 2026 – BBC cites next hearing; 29 May 2026 – Straits Times cites next hearing.
Official Statements
iJooz told Channel NewsAsia it filed a police complaint and carried out sanitation and inspection of the machine. An ESSEC spokesperson confirmed the school was aware and had launched an internal review. The court required Maximilien to remain contactable by the investigating officer, surrender his passport within 24 hours of return, and post the S$5,000 bail with the school representative as bailor.
Criticism & Opposition
Social-media users expressed disgust, calling the act a breach of Singapore’s hygiene standards and urging tighter controls on public vending equipment.
Conflicting Reports
Local outlets differ on the next court date—BBC reports 22 May, while the Straits Times and other Singapore media list 29 May. No public record of Maximilien’s plea is available.
Verbatim Quotes
- “city is not safe.” — Didier Gaspard Owen Maximilien, Instagram caption
- “iJooz told Channel NewsAsia that it had filed a police complaint and carried out sanitation measures and inspections on the affected machine.” — iJooz spokesperson
- “For committing mischief, an offender can be jailed for up to two years, fined or both.” — Singapore Penal Code (court documents)
- “The punishment for being a public nuisance is a jail term of up to three months, a fine of up to $2,000 or both.” — Singapore law (court documents)
Outlook
A hearing is set for either 22 May or 29 May, after which sentencing will be determined. iJooz plans to upgrade its machines with individually packaged straws and lockable compartments. Maximilien is due back from Manila on 25 May and must comply with passport surrender and bail conditions.
