A straw-licking prank that ricocheted across social media has ended with a French teenager being fined in Singapore, where authorities are known for a tough line on public hygiene and order.
Didier Gaspard Owen Maximilien, 19, was ordered to pay a €406 fine after he pleaded guilty to causing a public nuisance by posting a video of himself placing a straw he had licked back into the dispenser of an orange juice vending machine.
The video, recorded on 12 March, spread rapidly on Instagram and sparked online outrage. The backlash ultimately drew the attention of Singaporean authorities and led to Maximilien’s arrest in the city state.
In court, Judge Kelly Ho said that, considering Maximilien’s “age and nature of the offence”, the court would not impose alternatives such as probation or another community-based sentence.
Prosecutors supported the defence request for a fine, describing the case as being at the “lower end” of seriousness. They acknowledged that the act compromised hygiene but noted that no one from the public used the straw and there “was no evidence of harm”.
They also pointed out that Mr Maximilien “pleaded guilty at the earliest possible opportunity”.
Maximilien appeared in court wearing a dark suit and a white shirt without a tie, standing calmly in the dock as the sentence was delivered. His parents watched from the public gallery.
After the hearing, the family left the court soon afterwards and declined to comment to reporters.
Earlier, defence counsel Kalidass Murugaiyan urged the court to impose a fine rather than probation, arguing it was the most practical outcome.
Mr Murugaiyan said the family struggled to secure a guardian in Singapore, and a community-based sentence was not feasible because Maximilien must return to France in September to continue his studies.
“He is fully sorry for having caused all this trouble,” Mr Murugaiyan told the judge, adding that Maximilien had been counselled by his family.
Singapore has a reputation for taking a firm approach to public stunts and disruptions.
Last year, it deported an Australian man after he served a nine-day jail term for rushing film star Ariana Grande during the Asian premiere of “Wicked: For Good”.
