Richie: 'Paris was treated unfairly'

The Simple Life star Nicole Richie has spoken out to defend her jail-bound pal Paris Hilton, insisting the hotel heiress' impending prison sentence was "really unfair".

Hilton has to report to Los Angeles' Century Regional Detention Center by June 5 to start serving her sentence for violating her probation following her 2006 drink-driving arrest.

But Richie believes her Simple Life co-star was "exploited" and is now fearing for her own fate - she is due to answer her own charges of driving under the influence (DUI) later this year.

She says: "Of course (Paris) is scared. (Paris was treated) really unfairly.

"I don't know if she necessarily could have done anything to stop that. I think sometimes people just get exploited and I hope that doesn't happen to me…I don't think there's anything I can do to stop that."

Richie's charges stem from a December incident when she was arrested and booked for DUI in Los Angeles.