# French student straw prank case in Singapore > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/french-student-straw-prank-case-in-singapore > Updated: 2026-07-30T02:54:54.000Z. Sources: 50. Developments: 3. A video posted by 19‑year‑old French ESSEC student Didier Gaspard Owen Maximilien on 12 March 2026 showed him licking a straw from an iJooz orange‑juice vending machine at Goldhill Centre and returning it to the dispenser. The clip prompted a police investigation and a charge of public nuisance. On 30 July 2026 Maximilien pleaded guilty; Judge Kelly Ho sentenced him to a fine of S$600 (≈ US$465) and imposed no custodial or community‑service order, noting his youth and the low‑grade nature of the offence. Prosecutors had sought only the fine, warning that the stunt could erode public confidence in hygiene standards. iJooz replaced all 500 straws and announced that future units will use individually packaged, lockable‑compartment straws. Immigration officials continue to review his student pass, and he remains on bail while continuing his studies in Singapore. The case has drawn extensive media coverage, highlighting Singapore’s strict enforcement of public‑order and hygiene regulations. ## Claims - Didier Gaspard Owen Maximilien, a 19‑year‑old French student, licked a straw from an iJooz orange‑juice vending machine in Singapore. (corroborated by 8 sources) - He pleaded guilty to one count of public nuisance in a Singapore court. (corroborated by 8 sources) - The court fined him S$600 (about $465). (corroborated by 8 sources) - Public nuisance in Singapore can carry a penalty of up to S$2,000 fine or up to three months' imprisonment. (corroborated by 8 sources) - The iJooz company replaced all 500 straws in the vending machine after the incident. (corroborated by 8 sources) - The damage recorded by the court was S$5 (about €3.30). (corroborated by 8 sources) - He avoided imprisonment, receiving only the fine. (corroborated by 8 sources) - He posted the video of the act on Instagram with the caption “city is not safe”. (corroborated by 2 sources) ## Timeline ### 2026-07-30: French student fined S$600 in Singapore for licking vending‑machine straw French 19‑year‑old student Didier Maximilien was fined S$600 in Singapore after pleading guilty to a public‑nuisance charge for licking and re‑inserting a vending‑machine straw; he avoided jail and the machine‐ 46 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/french-student-fined-s600-in-singapore-for-licking-vendingmachine-straw ### 2026-07-13: Singapore Court Charges French Student Over Straw Prank A French ESSEC student in Singapore faces up to two years in jail for a straw‑prank video that led to vandalism charges and a possible loss of his student pass. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/singapore-court-charges-french-student-over-straw-prank ### 2026-07-13: French teen's straw‑licking case delayed in Singapore French 19‑year‑old Didier Maximilien faces mischief and public‑nuisance charges in Singapore for licking a vending‑machine straw; trial postponed to July 30. 5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/french-student-faces-singapore-jail-for-licking-straw-in-viral-video --- Cite as: French student straw prank case in Singapore. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/french-student-straw-prank-case-in-singapore