£17,000 flare fine for Griff

Ex-Dundee star booted pyrotechnic into fans of rival team during game

- GORDON CURRIE

FORMER Scotland and Celtic striker Leigh Griffiths has been fined a total of £17,000 for booting a smoking flare into a crowd of rival supporters.

The player admitted endangering St Johnstone fans during a cup match while he was playing for Dundee FC by kicking the smoke bomb into the away stand at Dens Park.

Dundee Sheriff Court heard Griffiths was on loan from Celtic at the time and was having his salary paid by them while he played for Dundee.

He was fined two weeks £15,000 by the wages Glasgow club.

The court was told that although Dundee FC were only paying bonuses to Griffiths under the loan deal, they also fined him £1000 for kicking the flare into the Bob Shankly Stand.

Sheriff George Way fined Griffiths a further £1000 yesterday and said it was appropriate a financial penalty be imposed on the player.

Griffiths had flown back from Australia for the court appearance and will return for promotion play-offs with his team Mandurah City, who play south of Perth, this weekend.