Sinead O' Connor: Drugs Caused Split with Herridge, Marriage No More [TEXT]

'Nothing Compares 2 U' singer Sinead O'Connor, who married drugs counselor Barry Herridge on her 45th birthday at The Little White Wedding Chapel drive-thru in Las Vegas on Dec. 8, said that her search for marijuana on her wedding night led to the split from Herridge on Christmas Eve, according to reports.

O'Connor, 45, announced the end of her 16-day marriage to Herridge, 38, on Monday in a long statement posted on her Web site, saying that she rushed into marriage and being with Herridge would have jeopardized his job. O' Connor also said that Herridge became very frightened when she was handed a bag of crack instead of the weed she initially sought.

That moment, ironic given Herridge's occupation as a drugs counselor, was the turbulent start of O' Connor's fourth marriage, which she believed was trapping both she and her now-ex-husband.

It felt like I was living in a coffin, said O' Connor to Britain's newspaper The Sun. It was going to be a coffin for both of us and I saw him crushed.

She added: The whole reason I ended it was out of respect and love for the man.

O' Connor also told the paper that she will never marry again, even going as far as saying I don't think I will even date anyone.

Read O' Connor's full statement below:

Dear friends,

I had for reasons u will all understand, wished to keep this private but have been told today it is to be leaked in the next few days despite my best efforts. So I must now leak it myself so as the record is straight. I won't under any circumstances ever have any further comments to make on this matter than those I write here this evening. Either privately or publicly.

From the moment myself and my husband got together not long ago, there was intense pressure placed upon him by certain people in his life, not to be involved with me. These were people who had never met me but had formed opinions of me based on what they read about 'Sinead 'O'Connor' in the media etc. Entitled as they are to their opinions about me many perhaps well deserved, there was no righteousness on anyone's part to put my husband through what he was put through as a result of his desire to be with me and to marry me and as a result of his actually marrying me.

Within 3 hours of the ceremony being over the marriage was kyboshed by the behaviour of certain people in my husband's life. And also by a bit of a wild ride i took us on looking for a bit of a smoke of weed for me wedding night as I don't drink. My husband was enormously wounded and very badly effected by that experience and also by the attitude of those close to him toward our marriage. It became apparent to me that if he were to stay with me he would be losing too much to bear. And that being with me was not going to serve him positively , career wise or any other wise. I saw his life leave him because of how people close to him reacted. And I can't take anyone's life. And a woman wants to be a joy to her husband. So.. U love someone? Set them free.

He is a wonderful man. I love him very much. I'm sorry I'm not a more regular woman. I truly believe though it is painful to admit, we made a mistake rushing into getting married, for altruistic reasons, and weren't aware or prepared for the consequences on my husband's life and the lives of those close to him. He has been terribly unhappy and I have therefore ended the marriage. I think he is too nice to do so. And too nice to trap.

He is as I said, a wonderful man. We part amicably. I wish him to be free and happy and loved and supported and for him to have privacy as that is utmost important for his job and for the children he treats as a therapist so I plead on theirs and his behalf for media to please leave him and his family alone. I really beg this. His family have health issues also and they not need the stress. Please do not doorstep them. Please be considerate of their feelings and leave them and my husband alone. I repeat this is of UTMOST importance to the wonderful children my husband helps every day. his work is his life. Publicity over all this could jeopardise his job. Please, don't do that to him. or I will have that on my conscience as well. he is a private person. I'm fair game. He or his family are not.

Meanwhile I intend to get on with being fully me. With never an apology for ANY part if being FULLY ME. No matter what. I am a 21st century full woman and proud of living it. I am in a very good and happy and strong place in life so I am doing fine. The marriage was 16 days. We lived together for 7 days only.. Until Xmas eve. And we haven't been awful to each other. So while I feel sad for my husband, and sad to be the cause of sorrow to yet another poor man, I'm also happy that I know we weren't horrible to each other and he is better off free. And that I can be me. And that's a freedom I can't give up for anyone or anything. Neither should my husband or anyone else.

Please pray for my lovely husband to be ok and do not worry about me as I have had plenty of practice in these matters. I am in a good place in life. And happy. I believe in and am committed wholeheartedly to happiness. Nothing knocks that. My only concern is that my husband be happy.

As my good friend said well, at least you got married in Vegas in a pink Cadillac! Can't get more Rock n Roll than that.

so now u can all go ahead and have a great laugh, media wise, and be horrid if u desire to. But that's my record set straight.

Rock n Roll

Sinead