Australian police drop charges against Coldplay's Chris Martin

0 Comments | AFP, November, 2003

SYDNEY (AFP) — Australian police dropped charges against Chris Martin, lead singer of British band Coldplay, who was accused of vandalising a photographer's car during the band's tour of Australia.

A police spokeswoman told AFP that police, in consultation with the victim, had agreed to withdraw the charges.

Martin was charged on July 20 with malicious damage after a photographer said he saw the frontman smashing his car windscreen and letting the air out of its tyres.

The photographer, Jon Lister, said Martin, 26, vandalised his car after he told the singer he had photographed him surfing at Seven Mile Beach.

"Investigations indicated there was a degree of provocation causing the 26-year-old man's (Martin's) actions," the police spokeswoman said....