Teen fined $600 for licking iJooz straw, putting it back in machine

A 19-year-old French national, who posted a video of himself licking a straw and returning it to an iJooz vending machine, was fined $600 for public nuisance on Thursday (July 30).

Didier Gaspard Owen Maximilien pleaded guilty to one count of public nuisance, while a second charge of mischief was taken into consideration.

The French teenager was charged over an incident at Goldhill Centre along Thomson Road at around 2pm on March 12.

After attending a boxing session there, he went to an iJooz vending machine and bought a drink.

While filming the act, he took a straw from the machine, licked about half of it and placed the contaminated straw back on the straw dispenser.

Maximilien then collected the drink, took the contaminated straw and left.

He later edited the footage and uploaded it to Instagram, according to the statement of facts.

His action caused iJooz to replace all 500 straws in the dispenser to prevent contamination, which had a total value of $5.

iJooz has about 1,500 machines islandwide as of January 2025.

District Judge Kelly Ho, who was presiding over the case, said in court on Thursday that probation or other community-based sentences would usually be considered given the French teenager's age and the circumstances of the offence, reported The Straits Times.

However, she agreed with defence lawyer Kalidass Murugaiyan that a fine was suitable due to the logistical difficulties and imposed the amount proposed by the defence.

The lawyer said logistical difficulties involving a guardian in Singapore had made probation or other community-based sentencing options challenging to arrange, reported CNA. The teen's father is working in France.

The prosecution also agreed a fine was suitable, with Deputy Public Prosecutor Maximilian Chew citing Maximilien's youth and the circumstances of the case.

Maximilien was fined $600 after pleading guilty to the public nuisance charge.

Public nuisance carries a maximum penalty of up to three months' jail, a fine of up to $2,000, or both, while a mischief offence is punishable by up to two years' jail, a fine, or both.

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helmy.saat@asiaone.com