French National Faces Legal Action for Vending Machine Tampering in Singapore

Apr 27, 2026, 10:37
AsiaOther

Introduction

Didier Gaspard Owen Maximilien, an 18-year-old French student living in Singapore, has been charged with mischief and public nuisance after an incident involving a drink vending machine.

Main Body

The incident took place on March 12 at a shopping center in Singapore. According to court documents, Maximilien allegedly licked a straw from an iJooz orange juice machine and put it back into the dispenser. He then recorded the act and posted it on Instagram, claiming that the city was unsafe. As a result of this video, the vending machine company filed a police report after the public expressed strong disapproval. Following the event, iJooz had to clean the equipment and replace all 500 straws in the machine. Consequently, the prosecution has filed two charges against the student. The first is public nuisance, as the act was intended to annoy the public, and the second is mischief, because the action could cause financial loss or damage to the company. Maximilien is a student at the Singapore campus of Essec Business School, which has confirmed that it is conducting an internal investigation. His parents have traveled to Singapore to support him, and a school official will act as his bailor. If found guilty, he could face significant fines and a jail term of up to two years, although the public nuisance charge specifically carries a potential sentence of three months.

Conclusion

The case is currently waiting for a judicial decision, and the defendant is scheduled to appear in court again on May 22.

Vocabulary Learning

incident (n.)
an event or occurrence, especially one that is unusual or problematic事件
Example:The incident at the vending machine caused a lot of complaints.
investigation (n.)
a systematic inquiry to discover facts or gather information調查
Example:The school is conducting an internal investigation.
misconduct (n.)
behaviour that is improper or illegal, especially in a professional setting不當行為
Example:The student was charged with misconduct after tampering with the machine.
prosecution (n.)
the legal process of bringing charges against someone追訴
Example:The prosecution filed two charges against the student.
public nuisance (n.)
an act that interferes with the public's health, safety, or comfort公共滋擾
Example:Posting the video was considered a public nuisance.

Sentence Learning

Didier Gaspard Owen Maximilien, an 18-year-old French student living in Singapore, has been charged with mischief and public nuisance after an incident involving a drink vending machine.
Passive Voice: The sentence uses the passive construction 'has been charged' to describe an action done to the subject by an unspecified agent.被動語態: 句子使用被動式「has been charged」來描述一個行為被施加於主語，且施動者未明。
Maximilien is a student at the Singapore campus of Essec Business School, which has confirmed that it is conducting an internal investigation.
Relative Clause: The clause 'which has confirmed that it is conducting an internal investigation' adds information about Essec Business School.關係子句: 子句「which has confirmed that it is conducting an internal investigation」為 Essec Business School 提供額外資訊。
If found guilty, he could face significant fines and a jail term of up to two years, although the public nuisance charge specifically carries a potential sentence of three months.
Conditional with Contrast: The structure 'If found guilty, he could face ... although ...' shows a conditional situation and a contrast using 'although'.條件句與對比: 結構「If found guilty, he could face ... although ...」呈現條件情境並以「although」作對比。
Consequently, the prosecution has filed two charges against the student.
Consequence Linking: The adverb 'Consequently' links the previous facts to the action of filing charges.因果連接詞: 副詞「Consequently」將前述事實與提起指控行動連結。
As a result of this video, the vending machine company filed a police report after the public expressed strong disapproval.
Causal Linking: 'As a result of this video' introduces a causal relationship between the video and the police report.因果連接詞: 短語「As a result of this video」說明影片與警察報告之間的因果關係。