Cranberries singer Dolores O'Riordan fined over air rage incident
Cranberries singer Dolores O'Riordan has avoided a criminal conviction and been fined €6,000 for head-butting and spitting on a police officer following an alleged air rage incident.
The multimillion-selling artist pleaded guilty last December after being arrested at Shannon Airport in Ireland on November 10, 2014 following a disturbance on a transatlantic flight.
The singer, who was diagnosed as suffering bipolar disorder after the incident, admitted four offences including three assaults and obstructing a garda after being taken off an Aer Lingus flight from New York's JFK airport.
As she was being arrested, O'Riordan told officers that she was an "icon" and the Queen of Limerick.
Medical reports given to the court showed she had been suffering mania and was mentally ill when the incident occurred.
At Ennis District Court on Wednesday, Judge Patrick Durcan said it would be unfair to impose a criminal conviction on the Cranberries star.
"Let me be utterly clear that the defendant is not being treated any differently than anyone else," he said.
The judge asked for the money to be paid to a charity which helps prisoners ahead of their release from jail.