French Student in Trouble in Singapore

Jun 26, 2026, 08:28
AsiaSociety
A2

French Student in Trouble in Singapore

法國學生在新加坡陷入法律糾紛

Introduction

A 19-year-old student from France is in trouble with the law in Singapore. He made a video of a dirty vending machine.

一名 19 歲的法國學生在新加坡陷入法律問題。他拍了一段關於一台髒污販賣機的影片。

Main Body

On March 12, the student licked a straw from a juice machine. Then, he put the straw back. He posted a video of this on Instagram. This made people unhappy.

3 月 12 日，該名學生舔了一台果汁機的吸管。接著，他將吸管放回原處。他將這段影片上傳到 Instagram，引起民眾不滿。

The company, iJooz, had to clean the machine. They threw away 500 straws. The company lost money because of this.

iJooz 公司不得不清理該台機器。他們丟棄了 500 支吸管。公司因此遭受損失。

The student is now on bail. He went to Manila for school in April. He will go to court on July 13. He might go to prison or pay money.

該名學生目前獲保釋。他於 4 月前往馬尼拉就學。他將於 7 月 13 日出庭，可能會被判入獄或處以罰金。

Conclusion

The student will go to court on July 13 to say if he is guilty.

該名學生將於 7 月 13 日出庭，以判定其是否有罪。

Vocabulary Learning

The 'Action Sequence'

Look at how the story moves in a straight line. We use simple verbs to show a sequence of events. This is the fastest way to tell a story in English.

The Pattern: Action 1 →\rightarrow Action 2 →\rightarrow Action 3

From the text:

  1. Licked a straw →\rightarrow 2. Put the straw back →\rightarrow 3. Posted a video

Money Words

In A2 English, we use simple phrases to talk about financial loss. Avoid big words like 'deficit.'

  • Lost money (The company had less money than before).
  • Pay money (Giving money as a punishment/fine).

The 'Future' Shortcut

When we know a date in the future, we use will + verb.

  • He will go to court on July 13.
  • He will go to prison (maybe).

Tip: Use 'will' for things that are decided or certain to happen.

Vocabulary Learning

vending machine (n.)
A machine that gives you food or drinks after you put money in it
Example:I bought a bottle of water from the vending machine.
licked (v.)
To move your tongue across something
Example:The dog licked my hand.
bail (n.)
Money paid to let a person stay out of prison until their court date
Example:The man was released on bail.
court (n.)
A place where a judge decides if someone broke the law
Example:He must go to court tomorrow.
prison (n.)
A building where criminals are kept
Example:The thief went to prison for two years.
guilty (adj.)
When a person has done something wrong or broken the law
Example:The judge decided that the man was guilty.
B2

French Student Faces Legal Action for Vending Machine Incident in Singapore

法國學生在新加坡因自動販賣機事件面臨法律起訴

Introduction

A 19-year-old French student is facing criminal charges in Singapore after sharing a video showing him contaminating a vending machine's straw dispenser.

一名19歲的法國學生在新加坡面臨刑事指控，原因是他在社群平台上分享了一段影片，內容顯示他污染了一台自動販賣機的吸管分配器。

Main Body

The legal case focuses on an incident on March 12, where Didier Gaspard Owen Maximilien allegedly licked a straw from an iJooz orange juice machine and put it back into the dispenser. Court documents emphasize that he uploaded this footage to Instagram, which the prosecution claims was a deliberate act to annoy the public.

此法律案件聚焦於3月12日發生的一起事件，Didier Gaspard Owen Maximilien 被指舔了一支來自 iJooz 橙汁機的吸管，並將其放回分配器中。法院文件強調，他將此片段上傳至 Instagram，檢方聲稱這是一種蓄意激怒公眾的行為。

Furthermore, the company iJooz reported that they had to sanitize the machine and replace 500 straws to prevent contamination. Consequently, the prosecution has charged the student with two offenses: public nuisance and mischief. The second charge is based on the claim that his actions caused financial loss or damage to the company.

此外，iJooz 公司報告稱，他們必須對機器進行消毒並更換 500 支吸管以防止污染。因此，檢方指控該學生犯有兩項罪名：公眾滋擾與惡作劇。第二項指控是基於其行為導致公司造成財務損失或損害。

Regarding the current status, the defendant is on bail and was allowed to travel to Manila in April for a required university internship. His lawyers stated that he is expected to plead guilty on July 13. If convicted, he could face up to three months in prison for public nuisance and up to two years for mischief, as well as potential fines.

關於目前進展，被告目前獲保釋，並獲准於4月前往馬尼拉進行大學要求的實習。其律師表示，他預計將於7月13日認罪。若被定罪，他因公眾滋擾最高可被判處三個月監禁，因惡作劇最高可被判處兩年，並可能被處以罰金。

Conclusion

The defendant remains on bail and is scheduled to appear in court on July 13 to enter his plea.

被告目前獲保釋，預定於7月13日出庭就指控答辯。

Vocabulary Learning

🚀 The 'Logical Glue' (Connecting Ideas)

At the A2 level, we often use simple sentences: "He licked the straw. He put it back. The company was angry."

To reach B2, you need Cohesive Devices. These are words that act like glue, showing the relationship between two ideas so your speech flows naturally and sounds professional.

🔍 The 'Cause & Effect' Chain

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

  1. "Furthermore" →\rightarrow Use this when you want to add more information to support your point. (Example: The student was rude. Furthermore, he broke the law.)
  2. "Consequently" →\rightarrow This is the 'B2 version' of 'so'. It signals a direct result. (Example: He contaminated the machine; consequently, he is facing charges.)
  3. "Regarding..." →\rightarrow A sophisticated way to change the topic or introduce a specific point. (Example: Regarding the money, the company wants a refund.)

🛠️ Upgrade Your Vocabulary

Instead of using basic words, try these 'Precision Verbs' found in the text:

  • Allegedly (Adverb): Use this when something is claimed to be true, but not yet proven in court. It is allegedly the most expensive car in the world.
  • Contaminate (Verb): Much stronger than 'make dirty'. It implies something is now dangerous or impure.
  • Convicted (Verb): The specific B2 word for when a judge officially decides someone is guilty.

💡 Pro Tip for Fluency

Stop using 'And', 'But', and 'So' for everything. Try replacing them with the 'Logical Glue' above to immediately sound more like a B2 speaker.

Vocabulary Learning

contaminating (v.)
Making something impure by adding a pollutant or bacteria
Example:The river was contaminated by chemicals leaking from the nearby factory.
allegedly (adv.)
Used when stating that someone has done something, although it has not yet been proven
Example:The suspect allegedly stole the jewelry from the store last night.
deliberate (adj.)
Done consciously and intentionally
Example:It was a deliberate decision to move the office to a more central location.
sanitize (v.)
To make something clean and hygienic by removing bacteria
Example:Hospital staff must sanitize their hands before entering the operating room.
consequently (adv.)
As a result of something that has happened
Example:He failed to study for the exam; consequently, he received a low grade.
nuisance (n.)
A person, thing, or circumstance causing inconvenience or annoyance
Example:The loud noise from the construction site next door is a real nuisance.
mischief (n.)
Playful misbehavior or intentional damage caused to property
Example:The children were cautioned against causing mischief in the library.
defendant (n.)
An individual or group being sued or accused in a court of law
Example:The defendant pleaded not guilty to all the charges brought against him.
bail (n.)
The temporary release of an accused person awaiting trial, sometimes on condition that a sum of money is lodged
Example:The judge granted the suspect bail, allowing him to return home until the trial.
convicted (v.)
Declared to be guilty of a criminal offense by a verdict in a court
Example:If he is convicted of the crime, he will likely serve several years in prison.
C2

Judicial Proceedings Regarding Alleged Public Nuisance and Mischief by a French National in Singapore.

關於一名法國國民在新加坡涉嫌造成公眾滋擾與惡作劇的司法程序

Introduction

A 19-year-old French student is facing criminal charges in Singapore following the dissemination of a video depicting the contamination of a vending machine's straw dispenser.

一名19歲的法國學生因散布一段描繪污染自動販賣機吸管分發器的影片，目前在新加坡面臨刑事指控。

Main Body

The legal proceedings center on an incident occurring on March 12, wherein Didier Gaspard Owen Maximilien allegedly licked a straw from an iJooz orange juice vending machine and subsequently returned it to the dispenser. The subsequent upload of this footage to Instagram is cited in court documents as a deliberate act intended to cause public annoyance.

此法律程序集中於3月12日發生的一起事件，Didier Gaspard Owen Maximilien 涉嫌舔了一根 iJooz 橙汁自動販賣機的吸管，隨後將其放回分發器中。法院文件中指出，隨後將此片段上傳至 Instagram 是一項旨在引起公眾不安的蓄意行為。

From an institutional perspective, the affected entity, iJooz, reported the necessity of sanitizing the apparatus and replacing the entire inventory of 500 straws to mitigate the contamination. Consequently, the prosecution has leveled two distinct charges: public nuisance and mischief. The latter charge is predicated on the assertion that the defendant's actions were likely to result in wrongful loss or damage to the corporate entity.

從機構角度來看，受影響的實體 iJooz 報告稱，為了減輕污染，有必要對設備進行消毒並更換全部500根吸管。因此，檢方提出了兩項不同的指控：公眾滋擾與惡作劇。後項指控是基於被告的行為可能導致該企業遭受不公正的損失或損害。

Regarding the procedural status, the defendant, who is currently released on bail, was granted temporary leave to exit the jurisdiction in April for a mandatory academic internship in Manila. Legal representation has indicated that a plea is scheduled for July 13, with court records suggesting a guilty plea is anticipated. Should a conviction be secured, the statutory penalties include a maximum of three months' incarceration for public nuisance and up to two years for mischief, potentially accompanied by monetary fines.

關於程序狀態，被告目前獲保釋，並於4月獲准暫時離開該司法管轄區，前往馬尼拉進行強制性學術實習。法律代表表示，答辯定於7月13日進行，法院記錄顯示預計將認罪。若被定罪，法定處罰包括公眾滋擾最高監禁三個月，惡作劇最高監禁兩年，並可能伴隨 monetary 罰金。

Conclusion

The defendant remains on bail pending a scheduled court appearance on July 13 to enter a plea.

被告目前仍獲保釋，等待7月13日的預定出庭以進行答辯。

Vocabulary Learning

The Architecture of Institutional Detachment

To transition from B2 to C2, a student must move beyond simple "formal vocabulary" and master Nominalization for Legal and Bureaucratic Distance.

In this text, the author avoids the visceral nature of the crime (licking a straw) by wrapping the action in high-density noun phrases. This is the hallmark of C2 precision: transforming a dynamic action into a static legal concept.

◈ The Shift: From Action to Entity

Observe how the text strips the humanity and emotion from the event to maintain judicial neutrality:

  • B2 Approach: "He uploaded a video to Instagram to annoy people." →\rightarrow (Active, simple, descriptive)
  • C2 Approach: "The subsequent upload of this footage... is cited... as a deliberate act intended to cause public annoyance." →\rightarrow (The action 'upload' becomes a noun; the intent becomes a 'deliberate act').

◈ Lexical Precision in Liability

Note the use of Predicated and Mitigate.

  1. "Predicated on the assertion": In C2 discourse, we don't just say "based on." To be predicated on something implies a formal logical foundation, typically used when establishing the legality of a charge.
  2. "Mitigate the contamination": While a B2 student might say "clean up" or "stop," mitigate specifically refers to reducing the severity or seriousness of something already occurring. It is the language of risk management.

◈ Syntactic Weight: The Passive-Institutional Voice

Consider the phrase: "Should a conviction be secured..."

This is a Conditional Inversion combined with a Passive Construction.

  • Structure: Should + Subject + Verb (Passive)
  • Nuance: It removes the agent (the judge/jury) and focuses entirely on the result (the conviction). This creates an aura of inevitability and systemic authority, essential for high-level academic and legal writing.

Vocabulary Learning

dissemination (n.)
The act of spreading or dispersing something, especially information, widely.
Example:The rapid dissemination of the video across social media platforms led to immediate public outcry.
mitigate (v.)
To make something less severe, serious, or painful.
Example:The company took immediate action to mitigate the risk of infection by replacing all contaminated supplies.
predicated (v.)
Based on or dependent on a specific foundation, premise, or set of circumstances.
Example:The prosecution's argument was predicated on the assumption that the defendant acted with malicious intent.
jurisdiction (n.)
The official power to make legal decisions and judgments, or the territory over which such authority extends.
Example:The court granted the student permission to leave the jurisdiction for his academic requirements.
incarceration (n.)
The state of being confined in a prison; imprisonment.
Example:The statutory penalties for the crime include a period of incarceration and a substantial fine.
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