The self-proclaimed Queen of Limerick, Dolores O'Riordan has pleaded guilty to assaulting a garda and two airport police officers following an air rage incident.
The 44-year-old Cranberries leading singer from Friarstown, Kilmallock has
been described as being delusional and was in a hyper paranoid state during the incident.
Dolores O'Riordan was arrested at Shannon Airport on the 10th of November last year after arriving in from New York.
At Ennis District Court Inspector Tom Kennedy outlined how airport police
and gardaí were called following an air rage incident on flight from New York.
The court heard the 44-year-old hit out at two members of the Airport
Police, Inspector Ronan O'Reilly and Eamon Power who were called to
intervene due to her erratic behaviour.
She also headbutted Garda Shane Dawson and spat in his face and accused him of groping and sexually assaulting her as she attempted to escape from a garda car across the apron of the airport.
Inspector Kennedy said her behaviour was highly erratic and was becoming increasingly irate. When being arrested, she told Garda Dawson, that he
couldn't arrest her, she was an icon, the queen of Limerick.
In addition to the three assault charges, she also pleaded guilty to
resisting or willfully obstructing Garda Dawson in the execution of his duty.
Solicitor Bill O'Donnell described the actions at the airport as those of a
very very ill person and the incident happened at an extremely difficult
period in her life.
He said she was in a hypermania state and has subsequently been diagnosed with bipolar affective disorder.
Several medical reports were submitted to the court outlining care,
hospitalisation and medication the Cranberries star availed of since.
Judge Patrick Durcan heard the singer now lives in New York and is very
remorseful and embarrassed about the incident.
He remanded her on continuing bail until the 20th of January, when a date will be fixed for sentencing.
