Marilyn Manson fined for blowing nose on videographer

Marilyn Manson has been sentenced to 20 hours community service and ordered to pay a US$1,400 (S$1,910) fine after pleading no contest to blowing his nose on a videographer.

The shock rocker, 54, was hit with the punishments on Monday (Sept 18) after the incident happened at a 2019 concert in New Hampshire.

Marilyn — born Brian Warner — wanted to appear via video for his hearing, but the judge required him to be in the courtroom in Laconia, New Hampshire.

He was charged with two misdemeanour counts of simple assault stemming from the encounter with the videographer at the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion in Gilford on Aug 19, 2019.

Marilyn pleaded no contest to just the nose-blowing charge in a fully negotiated plea agreement with prosecutors and prosecutors agreed to dismiss the other charge, which claimed the singer spat on the videographer.

A no contest plea means he is not contesting the charge but does not admit guilt.

The rocker, now said to be worth only US$2.5 million after his estimated of fortune of US$25 million was said to have plummeted, was fined US$1,400 as part of the deal, with $200 suspended.

As part of the terms, he must remain arrest-free and notify local police of any New Hampshire performances until 2025.

The judge called Marilyn’s acts “egregious” agreed to allow Manson to do his community service in California.

According to a police affidavit, the singer approached videographer Susan Fountain in the venue’s stage pit area, put his face close to her camera and spit a “big lougee” at her.

She was struck on both hands with saliva and he later approached her, knelt down and covered one nostril before blowing the other on her arms and hands.

A police review of the concert footage said Marilyn “blows a significant amount of mucous at Fountain”.

People could also see the rocker “point and laugh at Fountain as she gets down and walks away,” according to the police affidavit.

Susan was not in court, but submitted a statement that was read aloud.

She said: “For me, I’m a professional person and I’ve been in this industry for 30 years. I’ve worked for a lot of companies, and in all the years I’ve worked with people, I’ve never been humiliated or treated the way I was by this defendant.

“For him to spit on me and blow his nose on me was the most disgusting thing a human being has ever done.

“I understand this was not a big criminal charge to begin with, but I was hoping that the defendant would receive a sentence that would make him think twice before doing something like this again.”

Marilyn was in court on Monday dressed completely in black in a suit and sunglasses.

He identified himself in court as “Brian Warner” and otherwise only answered “yes” to the judge’s questions asking if he understood the proceeding.

Marilyn made no statement.

Prosecutor Andrew Livernois said it was his first offence and he had no prior record.

If Marilyn had gone to trial on the charges, each could have resulted in a jail sentence of less than a year and a US$2,000 fine if convicted.

In May, a California judge threw out key sections of Marilyn’s lawsuit against his former fiancee, actress Evan Rachel Wood, 36, claiming she fabricated public allegations that he sexually and physically abused her during their relationship and encouraged other women to do the same.

He is appealing the ruling.

Several women have sued Marilyn in recent years with allegations of sexual and other abuse but most have been dismissed or settled, including a suit filed by 41-year-old ‘Game of Thrones’ star Esme Bianco.