A 19-year-old French teenager was fined €406 in Singapore after admitting to a public nuisance charge.
The case stemmed from a viral video showing him licking a straw on an orange juice vending machine and returning it to the dispenser.
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The incident occurred on March 12 and gained widespread attention on Instagram. Singaporean authorities acted swiftly due to the country's strict public hygiene regulations.
The teenager was arrested following the backlash.
Court Proceedings
Judge Kelly Ho noted the offender's age and the nature of the offence. She decided against probation or community-based sentences.
Prosecutors acknowledged that the offence was at the lower end of seriousness.
They emphasized that while hygiene was compromised, no member of the public used the contaminated straw, resulting in no evidence of harm.
"He pleaded guilty at the earliest possible opportunity," prosecutors stated.
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During the hearing, Didier Gaspard Owen Maximilien appeared calm, dressed in a dark suit and white shirt without a tie.
His parents attended the session but declined to comment afterward.
His defence counsel, Kalidass Murugaiyan, requested a fine instead of probation, citing logistical challenges.
The teenager's family had difficulty securing a guardian in Singapore, and Maximilien needed to return to France in September to continue his studies.
"He is fully sorry for having caused all this trouble," Murugaiyan told the judge. He added that Maximilien had received family counseling.
Singapore is known for its strict measures against public disturbances.
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Last year, the city-state deported an Australian man after a jail term related to a public disturbance involving a celebrity during a film premiere.
