Britney Spears pleads guilty in DUI case and is sentenced to 12 months’ probation as lawyer appears in court on her behalf

Britney Spears pleaded guilty at her hearing in Ventura County Superior Court on Monday, two months after she was arrested on a drunken driving charge.

The 44-year-old pop star, who recently left rehab three weeks after his arrest on March 4, did not appear in court but confessed to the crime through his lawyer, Michael Goldstein.

Spears was sentenced to 12 months probation, including one day in jail, which she had already served, and was ordered to enroll in a three-month alcohol and drug education program after accepting a plea deal in the drunken driving cases, known as ‘wet reckless’.

A plea bargain allows the driver to plead guilty to reckless driving involving alcohol and/or drugs; This is a lesser charge that carries a much lighter sentence.

The agreement is for defendants who have no prior history of DUI, have a low blood alcohol level, there have been no injuries or accidents, and the subject ‘demonstrates self-motivation to address underlying issues through rehabilitation or a drug and alcohol program.’

Ventura County Superior Court Commissioner Matthew Nemerson also fined Spears $721 and ordered her to see a psychologist once a week and a psychiatrist twice a month.

At the time, the Daily Mail revealed that the pop star was taken into custody by the California Highway Patrol after several calls to 911 in Ventura County around 9:30 pm on March 4.

He also told the troubled singer not to use alcohol or drugs other than prescription drugs and ruled that police could search his vehicle without a warrant if he was pulled over again.

In March, Spears was stopped by police responding to allegations that she was driving her black BMW erratically and at high speeds on the 101 Freeway.

He later voluntarily checked into a substance abuse rehab facility, which he reportedly left last Wednesday.

After the short hearing, her lawyer made a statement outside the court: ‘Ms Spears is in good condition. He came home expecting this hearing.’

At a news conference following the hearing, Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko warned that driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol “recklessly and recklessly is an extremely serious crime… with possible catastrophic consequences.”

‘If he is stopped again by police officers he will have to endure a search for alcohol and drugs. And the intermediary can be called.’

The pop star left rehab last week after a three-week break

Britney Spears’ attorney Michael Goldstein leaves her DUI hearing in Ventura, California, on Monday

Addressing the three-month DUI program in which Spears will have to complete 30 hours of training, as well as regular visits to court-ordered psychiatrists, Nasarenko added: ‘We do not want Ms. Spears to re-offend. That’s why rehabilitation is so important.’

On Thursday, the Daily Mail obtained documents revealing that Spears is facing criminal charges after Ventura County prosecutors charged her with one count of misdemeanor DUI.

Since it was a misdemeanor charge, he was not required to attend the hearing and his attorney was present on his behalf.

At the time of his arrest, the Daily Mail revealed that the pop star was taken into custody by the California Highway Patrol after several calls to 911 in Ventura County around 9:30pm on Wednesday night, March 4.

The singer was released the next morning, according to Ventura County Sheriff’s records.

Spears’ representatives released the following statement in response to the March arrest: ‘This was an unfortunate incident that is completely inexcusable.

‘Britney will take the right steps and comply with the law and hopefully this can be the first step in the long overdue change that needs to happen in Britney’s life. I hope he can get the help and support he needs during this difficult time.

“His sons will spend time with him,” the statement said. ‘His loved ones will devise a long overdue plan essential to his well-being and success.’

The Baby One More Time singer apparently expressed immediate regret, sources said TMZ He was ‘crying a lot’ during his processing at the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office.

In California, when a person gets a DUI, their driver’s license is automatically suspended.

There is also potential jail time, hefty fines of over $1,000, and mandatory DUI education programs.

A first offense typically carries three to five years probation, a six-month driver’s license suspension, and approximately six months of DUI school.

Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko speaks after the hearing

Spears was not required to appear in court on the misdemeanor charge but pleaded guilty through her attorney

On February 12, Spears was spotted taking a spin around Los Angeles behind the wheel of her Mercedes SUV.He appeared to be breaking the law as he held his cell phone to his face. Talking on the phone is illegal in California under the ‘No Touch’ law. No criminal complaint was filed against him regarding the incident.

However, this was not an isolated incident for Spears, who was filmed in recent months. getting into the wrong lane on the highway after a night out. At the time, sources feared she would ‘transform’ following the publication of ex-husband Kevin Federline’s memoirs. The two were married from 2004 to 2007.

His history with police included a 2007 criminal complaint for hitting a parked car and committing a hit-and-run. This was reportedly rejected at the time after Spears paid the owner an undisclosed amount.

He was also cited for driving without a valid California license in 2008, but that was later dismissed by a judge.

In 2023, law enforcement visited Spears’ home regarding a video featuring knives, but no charges were filed.

Spears has had some very public personal struggles for almost two decades: In 2007, the star suffered a harrowing breakdown after exhibiting alarming behavior in the months leading up to her infamous psychiatric treatment.

The then-25-year-old pop star shaved her head before checking into a rehabilitation center and worried her fans when she attacked a paparazzi’s car with a green umbrella.

The Toxic singer suffered yet another defeat after his disastrous performance at the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards; here her performance in Gimme More was heavily criticized by fans and critics alike.

Then in January 2008, she was placed in isolation in a facility for refusing to surrender her young son to her ex-husband, Federline.