Brown spared prison term after guilty plea

CHRIS BROWN has pleaded guilty to assaulting Rihanna and the two were ordered to stay away from each other, in a deal that keeps the singer out of prison but requires him to do community service.

Brown’s plea to a felony charge will subject him to substantial scrutiny by probation officials, and the judge’s order puts the kibosh on any short-term prospects for reconciliation with his pop diva girlfriend as well.

The guilty plea came before a preliminary hearing was scheduled to start. The hearing had been billed for weeks as a public face-off between the pair, with Rihanna set to testify against her one-time boyfriend.

Instead, Brown averted the potentially damaging meeting by entering a plea that will subject him to probation for the next five years as well as force him to perform six months of community service.

Mark Geragos, Brown’s lawyer, said the plea represented the singer taking responsibility for his actions – which included beating, choking and biting Rihanna during a fight on February 8, according to police.

After Brown left the courtroom, Rihanna entered and was addressed by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Patricia Schnegg, who explained to the Barbados-born singer that she had issued a stay-away order.

Rihanna had not been seeking such an order, but the judge imposed one anyway. The order requires that Brown and Rihanna stay at least 50 yards (45.72m) from each other, except at industry events when this is reduced to 10 yards (9.14m).

The judge also told Rihanna it’s not a one-way order – and that she, too, shouldn’t get any closer to Brown than the order allows.

“This is a kid who’s never been in trouble before,” said Mr Geragos after the hearing. “He embraces this as a chance to get the message out that domestic violence will not be tolerated. He wants to get his life back on track.”

Brown will be formally sentenced on August 5.

He will also attend domestic violence counselling.

Sandi Gibbons, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office, said the terms were in line with what others receive when they are charged with similar crimes and have no prior criminal history.

Brown spoke softly throughout the hearing as he waived his rights and told the judge he understood the gravity of his guilty plea.

“I think it is commendable you took responsibility for your conduct,” the judge told Brown.

She said she hoped “the terms and conditions of your probation will have some meaning”.

Rihanna spoke briefly, too, telling Judge Schnegg she understood the terms of the stay-away order and that after Brown’s sentencing she might ask for its terms to be loosened.

Rihanna, 21, recorded one of 2007’s most popular songs, Umbrella, and has numerous other hits. Her looks have made her a cover girl for magazines, as well as a pitch-woman for Cover Girl cosmetics.

The case sparked intense media interest and a severe backlash against Brown. Sponsors and radio stations dropped him, and the singer had to cancel several high-profile appearances, including one at the Grammys.

The singer once known for his squeaky-clean image now has a substantial blemish on his record.