Last November, the Cranberries singer was arrested at Shannon airport after an alleged air rage incident involving a flight attendant and a Garda who was called to the scene. Yesterday, the 44-year-old attended Ennis District court and pleaded guilty to reportedly headbutting and spitting on a Garda. 

The mum-of-three, who attended court with her mum and a brother, pleaded guilty to four offences, including assaulting a Garda, and obstructing a Garda. She also reportedly "twice tried to flee custody after being arrested at the airport, once from an ambulance and once while in a patrol car". According to the Belfast Telegraph: "she accused a Garda officer of groping her and sexually assaulting her during the arrest, a claim which has since been retracted."

The court also heard from Inspector Tom Kennedy, who said: "Ms O'Riordan was very belligerent. She said 'you are not going to arrest me. I am an icon. I'm the Queen of Limerick, I pay my taxes, I pay your wages. I'm going to sue you'.. As the plane came into Shannon her behaviour became more difficult and unruly... She was walking about the plane making her presence felt, speaking loudly and generally being a little rude, if I can put it that way, in her contacts with other passengers."

Medics for O'Riordan, who has bi-polar, told the court that she was "suffering hypomania, sleep deprivation and paranoia at the time." Her Her lawyer, Mr O'Donnell, added: "These were the actions of a very, very ill person. Clearly from the evidence that has been given at this time she was somewhat out of control... She does not remember an awful lot of what happened after coming off the plane. All her actions were reactions and she did not set out to cause any harm or assault. She genuinely felt she was under attack."

The singer will be sentenced at a further date to be scheduled next year. She has also been ordered to pen letters of apology to the victims of the assaults.