Court Case Delayed for French Student Accused of Damaging Vending Machine

法國學生涉嫌破壞自動販賣機 案件將推遲審理

Jul 13, 2026, 08:33
AsiaSociety

Introduction

Legal action against 19-year-old Didier Gaspard Owen Maximilien has been postponed. The court needs to check the status of his student visa after he was accused of tampering with a vending machine.

針對 19 歲的 Didier Gaspard Owen Maximilien 的法律行動已推遲。由於他被指破壞一部自動販賣機，法院需要核實其學生簽證狀態。

Main Body

The case involves an incident on March 12 at the Goldhill Centre. The defendant allegedly contaminated a straw dispenser in an iJooz vending machine and posted a video of the act on Instagram. Because of this, 500 straws had to be replaced at a cost of S$5. Consequently, he faces charges of public nuisance and mischief, which could lead to fines or prison sentences of three months and two years, respectively.

本案涉及 3 月 12 日在 Goldhill Centre 發生的事件。被告涉嫌污染 iJooz 自動販賣機中的吸管分發器，並將該行為的影片上傳至 Instagram。因此，500 根吸管必須更換，費用為 5 新加坡元。結果，他面臨公眾滋擾和惡作劇的指控，可能導致罰金，或分別被判處三個月及兩年的監禁。

During the court hearing on July 13, the prosecution asked for a delay. They need to confirm with the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) if a conviction would cause the defendant to lose his student pass, as this will affect the proposed sentence. Furthermore, the defense explained that the student must return to France from September to December to complete his studies at ESSEC Business School. This travel may make it difficult for him to follow a probation order, which requires regular interviews.

在 7 月 13 日的庭審中，控方請求推遲。他們需要與移民與關卡局 (ICA) 確認，定罪是否會導致被告失去學生證，因為這將影響建議的判刑。此外，辯方解釋，該學生必須在 9 月至 12 月期間返回法國，在 ESSEC 商學院完成學業。此行可能會使他難以遵守需要定期面談的緩刑令。

In response, ESSEC Business School has started its own internal investigation. Meanwhile, iJooz has announced that it will change its machine design by using individually wrapped straws and locked compartments to prevent similar problems. These changes reflect Singapore's strict rules regarding public hygiene and behavior.

對此，ESSEC 商學院已啟動內部調查。同時，iJooz 宣布將更改機器設計，採用獨立包裝吸管和鎖定隔層，以防止類似問題再次發生。這些改變反映了新加坡對於公共衛生與行為的嚴格規定。

Conclusion

The court has rescheduled the hearing for July 30, once the defendant's immigration status is clear.

法院已將聆訊重新安排在 7 月 30 日，屆時將在被告的移民身份明確後進行。

Vocabulary Learning

⚡ The Logic of 'Cause and Effect' (A2 →\rightarrow B2)

At the A2 level, you likely use 'so' or 'because' for everything. To reach B2, you need to use Transition Markers that show a professional relationship between two events. This article is a goldmine for this.

🔍 The 'Sophisticated' Chain

Look at how the text connects a bad action to a legal result:

  1. Consequently →\rightarrow Used to show a direct result.

    • A2 style: He broke the machine, so he faces charges.
    • B2 style: He contaminated the machine; consequently, he faces charges.

  2. Furthermore →\rightarrow Used to add a new, important point to an argument.

    • A2 style: And he has to go back to France.
    • B2 style: Furthermore, the student must return to France.

  3. Meanwhile →\rightarrow Used when two different things are happening at the same time.

    • A2 style: The school is investigating and the company is changing the design.
    • B2 style: The school started an investigation; meanwhile, iJooz announced a redesign.

🛠️ Quick Upgrade Guide

Stop using these 'Basic' words and swap them for 'Bridge' words found in the text:

Basic (A2)Bridge (B2)Context from Article
SoConsequentlyThe cost was S55 \rightarrow$ Consequently, he faces charges.
Also / AndFurthermoreThe visa is a problem →\rightarrow Furthermore, he must travel.
At the same timeMeanwhileThe school is acting →\rightarrow Meanwhile, the company is fixing.

💡 Pro Tip: The 'Punctuation Power'

Notice that Consequently, Furthermore, and Meanwhile usually start a new sentence and are followed by a comma. This creates a rhythmic pause that makes you sound more fluent and confident during a B2 speaking exam.

Vocabulary Learning

postponed (v.)
Delayed to a later time or date.
Example:The football match was postponed until next week due to heavy rain.
tampering (v.)
Interfering with something in order to cause damage or make unauthorized changes.
Example:He was arrested for tampering with the electronic voting machine.
allegedly (adv.)
Used to report something that is said to have happened but has not yet been proven.
Example:The suspect allegedly stole the jewelry from the store last night.
contaminated (v.)
Made impure or unfit for use by adding a harmful or poisonous substance.
Example:The water supply was contaminated by chemicals from the nearby factory.
consequently (adv.)
As a result of something that has happened.
Example:The company lost a lot of money; consequently, they had to lay off several employees.
nuisance (n.)
A person, thing, or circumstance causing inconvenience or annoyance.
Example:The loud noise from the construction site was a constant nuisance to the neighbors.
prosecution (n.)
The legal party responsible for presenting the case against an accused person in court.
Example:The prosecution presented several pieces of evidence to prove the defendant's guilt.
conviction (n.)
A formal declaration that someone is guilty of a criminal offense.
Example:A previous conviction for theft can make it difficult to find a job.
probation (n.)
A period of supervision over an offender, instead of serving a prison sentence.
Example:The judge sentenced him to two years of probation and community service.
Practice B2 words in a crossword→