Cranberries singer fined for head-butting and spitting

London - The lead singer of the Irish rock band The Cranberries has been fined $6 600 (R101 500) for an air-rage incident on a flight from New York to Ireland.

Dolores O'Riordan avoided a criminal conviction on Wednesday. The 44-year-old had pleaded guilty in December to assaulting three policemen and a flight attendant during an alleged psychotic episode last year.

She was arrested at Shannon Airport in Ireland after the flight in November 2014. Police said she spat in their faces, head-butted one and kicked the others.

Medical records given to the court indicated she was mentally ill at the time of the altercation.

As she was leaving the courtroom O'Riordan urged other people suffering mental illness to seek help.

She thanked her doctors for helping her recover.