19-year-old French teen who allegedly licked iJooz straw expected to plead guilty in July
A French teenager accused of licking a straw from an iJooz vending machine before placing it back into the dispenser is expected to plead guilty next month.
According to The Straits Times (ST), 19-year-old Didier Gaspard Owen Maximilien is scheduled to plead guilty on 13 July.
He was previously charged with one count each of mischief and public nuisance.
Source: @singaporeincidents.sg on Instagram
Allegedly licked straw before putting it back into dispenser
The incident allegedly took place at Goldhill Centre along Thomson Road on or around 12 March.
Source: Google Maps
Court documents stated that Maximilien allegedly removed a straw from an iJooz orange juice vending machine, licked it, and then returned it to the straw dispenser.
He is also accused of filming the act and uploading the video to social media.
The clip quickly went viral after surfacing online, drawing widespread criticism and concern from netizens over hygiene and public health.
Source: @jaimemdza on TikTok
Following the incident, iJooz replaced all 500 straws inside the machine’s dispenser, ST reported.
The company allegedly incurred costs as a result of having to remove and replace the straws after the video spread online.
The alleged act forms the basis of the mischief charge against the teenager.
Source: @singaporeincidents.sg on Instagram
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Essec Business School confirmed that the teenager was a student there, Lianhe Zaobao reported.
Maximilien, who lives in Singapore, is currently out on bail.
The court had, in late April, allowed him to leave Singapore for a three-week internship in Manila, Philippines, as a requirement for him to graduate.
He has since returned to Singapore, CNA reported.
Teen faces two charges
According to CNA, Maximilien was charged with:
- One count of mischief
- One count of being a public nuisance
If convicted of mischief, he could be jailed for up to two years, fined, or both.
For public nuisance, the offence carries a maximum penalty of three months’ jail, a fine of up to S$2,000, or both.
He is expected to enter his plea in court on 13 July.
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Featured image adapted from @jaimemdza on TikTok and @singaporeincidents.sg on Instagram.
