A 19-year-old French student received a fine of 600 Singapore dollars, equivalent to approximately 380 Swiss francs or 406 euros, at a court hearing in Singapore after filming himself licking a straw and placing it back into an orange juice vending machine, according to the daily newspaper The Straits Times.
Court Ruling and Penalties in Singapore
According to court proceedings covered by The Straits Times, the defendant faced up to three months in prison but ultimately avoided jail time. Judge Kelly Ho ruled that alternative measures such as probation or community service would not be applied, citing the offender’s age and the specific nature of the infraction. Prosecutors agreed with the assessment, noting that the offense sat on the lower end of gravity because no one actually used the contaminated straw and there was “aucune preuve de préjudice,” meaning no evidence of actual harm.
Impact on Vending Machine Operations
The stunt directly affected iJooz, the company operating the automated orange juice dispenser. According to Singapore judicial authorities, the teenager acted with the knowledge that his actions were “susceptible de causer une perte ou un dommage injustifié” to the business. Consequently, the company was forced to discard and replace all 500 straws contained within the machine to ensure public health and safety standards.
Did you know? Singapore is globally recognized for its strict enforcement of laws regarding public civility and hygiene, meaning even minor pranks captured online can trigger immediate criminal prosecution and heavy fines.
Travel Permissions and Legal Status
The student held a valid student visa in Singapore and remained out on bail while awaiting the final verdict. Earlier in the legal process, specifically in late April, the court granted the defendant permission to leave the territory temporarily for a three-week internship in Manila. That trip served as a mandatory requirement for him to complete his academic degree. He subsequently returned to Singapore to face the court proceedings.
Frequently Asked Questions
What specific charge did the French student face in Singapore?
The 19-year-old faced charges of public nuisance after uploading a video of himself tampering with a vending machine straw.
How much was the fine imposed by the court?
Judge Kelly Ho ordered the defendant to pay a fine of 600 Singapore dollars, avoiding the maximum three-month prison sentence he could have received.
Was anyone harmed by the contaminated straw?
No. Prosecutors confirmed there was no evidence of actual harm because no customer used the licked straw, though the operating company still had to replace all 500 straws in the machine.
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