Former Scotland and Celtic striker Leigh Griffiths has been fined a total of £17,000 for kicking a smoking flare into a crowd during a League Cup match.
The 33-year-old admitted a charge of culpable and reckless conduct following his behaviour at Dens Park during a game between Dundee and St Johnstone on September 22, 2021.
Dundee Sheriff Court was told that Griffiths – who was on loan from Celtic to Dundee at the time of the incident – was fined £15,000 by the Glasgow club, £1,000 by Dundee and now a further £1,000 fine at court with seven days to pay.
Griffiths had flown in from Australia, where he currently plays for Mandurah City, to attend the sentencing.
The court heard that about 4,500 people were in attendance at the match, with approximately 1,300 St Johnstone fans in the away stand.
Fiscal depute Lora Apostolova said a goal was scored at about 9.10pm and a smoke bomb was hurled onto the field, emitting blue smoke.
“The accused ran towards the area the smoke bomb landed and then kicked the smoke bomb towards where St Johnstone fans were standing,” she said.
She said Griffiths ran 30 to 40 yards to kick the smoke bomb back into the stand and a fan was struck by it, damaging his jeans. No one was injured.
Defending Griffiths, lawyer Larry Flynn said the matter required to be discharged in order for the footballer to meet a condition for his Australian visa.
He said Griffiths decided to “take matters in his own hands” and kick the device out of the way to let play continue.
Mr Flynn said there was no malice behind Griffiths’ actions, and he read a statement the player made at the time apologising to fans for his conduct.
Griffiths is currently playing in Australia and flew to Dundee for the sentencing
In sentencing, Sheriff George Way said a “financial penalty” was necessary and Griffiths would have been facing a £1,500 fine had it not been for his early guilty plea.
The sheriff added: “I am prepared to accept this was reckless. He is trying to make a life for himself in Australia.”
Griffiths started his football career at Livingston in 2006, before moving to Dundee in 2009 and then Wolves two years later.
He spent a spell on loan Hibernian, before being called up for Scotland in 2012, and went onto play for Celtic, Dundee again and Falkirk.
