Britney Spears pleads guilty to reckless driving after arrest

Britney Spears has pleaded guilty to reckless driving following her arrest on suspicion of driving under the influence (DUI).

In March, the Princess of Pop was arrested in Ventura County, California after a police officer saw her veering between lanes and speeding in a black BMW convertible near her home.

While Britney was originally given a criminal DUI charge, her defence attorney Michael Goldstein reached a plea deal during an arraignment in Ventura County Superior Court on Monday.

It was decided that she could avoid jail time if she pleaded guilty to reckless driving involving alcohol and drugs.

The Toxic hitmaker was sentenced to one year of probation.

Britney is also required to complete a three-month DUI programme and pay fees and a fine of $571 (£422).

In addition, the 44-year-old was sentenced to one day in jail, though this was credited against the time she spent in custody following her arrest.

Britney was not required to attend the hearing in person.

Acting on her behalf, Goldstein agreed to a "wet reckless" charge - an informal term used for cases where reckless charges don't include DUI.

"Through her plea today, Britney has accepted responsibility for her conduct," he said. "She has taken significant steps to implement positive change which is clearly reflected in the Ventura County District Attorney's decision to reduce the charge in this case and dismiss the DUI."

In April, editors at Us Weekly reported that Britney had checked into a rehabilitation facility after a conversation with her sons Sean Preston, 20, and Jayden James, 19. She checked out after approximately three weeks.

"Britney went to rehab after several conversations with both of her sons," a source told the outlet. "They expressed concern about her recent behaviour and urged her to seek professional help, which has been long overdue, to get her back on track. All they've ever wanted for their mom is health and happiness, even during the years they were estranged. They hope she'll take it seriously."