Former Dundee and Scotland striker Leigh Griffiths has admitted endangering St Johnstone fans by booting a lit flare into a crowd of supporters.
The player admitted acting in a culpable and reckless way by kicking the pyrotechnic device into a group of away fans while he was starring for Dundee.
Griffiths, 32, was not present at Dundee Sheriff Court as his solicitor tendered a guilty plea on his behalf to striking one of the visiting St Johnstone fans with the smoke bomb at Dens Park.
Larry Flynn told the court Griffiths, who is playing for Australian Division 2 team Mandurah City, had intended to return to Scotland for trial, before changing his plea to guilty.
He said the former Celtic striker, whose team face a top of the table clash this weekend, had a flight booked to be back in Dundee for September 4, when the trial was scheduled.
Sheriff George Way deferred sentence until September 6 and ordered Griffiths to appear in person.
No prosecution over pyro-throwing
Griffiths, from Glasgow, admitted booting the flare into a group of fans watching the match between Dundee and St Johnstone on September 22 2021.
The former Wolves frontman “culpably and recklessly kicked a flare, smoke bomb or similar item into the crowd occupying the Bob Shankly Stand.”
Griffiths must be fed up of it already pic.twitter.com/2ecf8cOFt9
— Ritchie Mulligan (@RitchieMulligan) September 22, 2021
He admitted “in doing so, he did cause the said flare, smoke bomb or similar item to strike David Soutar on the body, all to the danger of the lieges.”
The Crown previously told the court Griffiths had been captured on CCTV kicking the smoking device over the pitchside barrier into a crowded area of opposition fans.
The flare was thrown onto the pitch from the same section of supporters, but no-one has been prosecuted in connection with that part of the incident.
Scotland star
Griffiths started his career at Livingston, where he made his debut as a sixteen-year-old, before moving to Dundee in 2009 for £125,000.
He moved to Wolves for around £150,000 in January 2011 and spent a period on loan with Hibs, where he won the SFWA Footballer of the Year award.
Griffiths then moved to Celtic, where he scored 90 goals in 173 games, and established himself as a regular member of the Scotland squad.
He scored four times in 22 international appearances, including a double against England.
He moved back to Dundee on loan before a brief unsuccessful spell with Falkirk.
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