French Teen Faces Singapore Charges Over Straw Dispenser Incident
French 18-year-old charged in Singapore with public nuisance and property damage over straw incident.
Event / Security
French Teen Singapore Licking Charge
18-year-old Didier Gaspard Owen Maximilien from France charged in Singapore with public nuisance and property damage after posting a video of himself licking a beverage dispenser straw on Instagram. Faces potential prison time and fines. Court hearing scheduled for May 22, 2026.
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2026-08-18 to 2026-11-15 · UTC publication dates
Coverage begins 27 Apr, 11:08 UTC
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What happened
Court hearing scheduled for French teenager's Singapore charges
A court hearing for Didier Gaspard Owen Maximilien is scheduled for May 22, 2026, to address the public nuisance and property damage charges stemming from the straw incident.
French 18-year-old charged with public nuisance in Singapore after licking straw
Didier Gaspard Owen Maximilien, an 18-year-old French national with a student visa in Singapore, was charged with public nuisance after filming himself licking a straw and placing it back in a beverage dispenser in a shopping mall on March 12, 2026. He posted the video on Instagram knowing it would cause public annoyance. The video included the caption "city is not safe" in French and went viral, generating public disgust.
French teenager faces up to three months prison for public nuisance charge in Singapore
For the straw incident, Didier Gaspard Owen Maximilien faces up to three months imprisonment and a fine for violating Singapore's public nuisance laws. Singapore maintains strict regulations regarding public order and hygiene, including prohibitions on smoking outside designated areas and strict bans on electronic cigarettes.
French teenager also charged with property damage for straw dispenser incident
Didier Gaspard Owen Maximilien faces additional charges for causing trouble to iJooz, the company operating the beverage dispenser. Authorities allege he was aware his actions could cause unjustified loss or damage to the company's equipment. The dispenser required replacement of 500 straws following the incident. This charge carries a penalty of up to two years imprisonment and a fine.
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