Singer Justin Bieber Pleads Guilty to Resisting Arrest

Pop singer Justin Bieber has pleaded guilty to charges of careless driving and resisting arrest seven months after he was held in Miami Beach following what police initially called a drag race.

The 20-year-old pop star’s plea deal with prosecutors, detailed at a court hearing, includes a 12-hour anger management course, a $50,000 (€37,500) charitable contribution and fines.

The deal allows Bieber to avoid a conviction for driving under the influence.

He was not present at the hearing before Miami-Dade County Judge William Altfield. Defence lawyer Mark Shapiro said Bieber had already given the money to a local children’s charity.

The singer was arrested early on January 23 in Miami Beach after what police described as an illegal street race between his rented Lamborghini and a Ferrari driven by R&B singer Khalil Amir Sharieff.

Neither was charged with drag racing and there was little evidence they were even exceeding posted speed limits.

Alcohol breath tests found Bieber’s level below the 0.02 limit for under-age drivers, but urine tests showed the presence of marijuana and the anti-anxiety drug Xanax in his system.