Cranberries Singer Fined Over Air Rage Incident

The Cranberries lead singer Dolores O'Riordan has been fined 6,000 euro after a judge said it would be unfair and unjust to criminalise her over a matter arising out of air rage incident on a flight from New York to Shannon over a year ago.
 
The 44-year-old from Friarstown, Kilmallock, County Limerick had pleaded guilty to three counts of assault and one of obstructing a garda at Shannon Airport on the 10th of November 2014.
 
The singer assaulted two Airport Police officers after they were alerted that a passenger had become erratic and unruly on a flight from New York to Shannon and had to be restrained.
 
She subsequently headbutted and spat at a garda – as she was arrested saying she was an icon, the queen of Limerick.  She accused him of sexually assaulting her, to which the judge said there was no shred of truth.
 
Dolores O'Riordan had no recollection of the incident and was described as very ill.
 
Medical evidence from her family GP and a consultant psychiatrist described DoloresO'Riordan as being in a hypomanic state at the time, suffering from delusions and paranoia and who was not responsible for her actions.
 
Judge Patrick Durcan said he was satisfied the 44-year-old was suffering from a severe mental illness at the time which completely inhibited her judgement.
 
He said it would be unfair and unjust to criminalise the defendant in this case and ordered her to paid 6,000 euro into the court poor box.  He also pointing out that she was not being treated any differently to anyone else who comes before him.