Coldplay fan spared jail for 'lashing out' at medics and garda during Croke Park gig
Tom Tuite
A Coldplay fan has been spared jail for "lashing out at medics and causing trouble" at the band's sold-out concert in Croke Park, Dublin.
The chart-toppers with hits Fix You and Yellow are on their Music of the Spheres world tour.
Liverpool father of one Kieran Graham, 24, travelled over to catch the first of the English rockers' four-night concert run in Dublin.
Judge Mark O'Connell fined Graham €500 after the support worker pleaded guilty to public order offences at Dublin District Court on Friday.
More than 80,000 fans were at the Thursday night gig, where drunk Graham began "lashing out at medical staff trying to render assistance" to him.
Garda Adam Hannan told the court he intervened, but Graham lashed out at him and the medical staff and refused to give his name or address.
He was arrested "and handcuffed and for own safety," but the medics deemed that he did not need to go to the hospital.
He was brought to Store Street Garda station, charged and faced court the following day.
Judge O'Connell noted the man had no prior convictions and was pleading guilty at an early stage.
Defence solicitor Michael French said Graham was very apologetic.
The solicitor told the court that "With the amount of alcohol consumed during the day, he was unsteady on his feet, which should have served as a warning sign to my client, it didn't".
"He was highly intoxicated," the court heard. The solicitor said. "He woke up this morning in a cell; his hands were all yellow, there were no clocks in the stations in the station, he did not know where he was, and was completely lost."
Mr French added that Graham was "a young man who did not set out to cause trouble".
The court heard he had a job and hoped to avoid a criminal record. He would pay money to charity if let out, and a receipt could be furnished later, the defence suggested.
However, the judge noted that would be difficult to arrange and said that Graham "did not give a damn", had not cooperated and caused gratuitous inconvenience for gardaí.
He proceeded to convict and fine him €500, which must be paid within a month.