SINGAPORE: A French teen facing criminal charges in Singapore for a straw licking stunt was granted permission on Wednesday (Apr 29) to leave the country for three weeks on pledges to return.
The 18-year-old is accused of posting to social media a video of himself putting the straw he licked back into the dispenser on an orange juice vending machine.
Didier Gaspard Owen Maximilien’s clip went viral and triggered a backlash that led to his arrest in Singapore.
The teen’s lawyer sought permission from a judge for him to travel to Manila from May 2 to May 25 for an internship, a key requirement for him to graduate.
The judge granted the request after the prosecution posed no objection, but asked that he must remain contactable while overseas and required a S$5,000 (US$3,900) bond.
