Los Angeles  - Singer Chris Brown was sentenced Tuesday to five years probation and six months of community labour for his February assault of his former girlfriend Rihanna.

In addition, the crooner must complete a 52-week domestic violence prevention programme and abide by a protection order that forbids him to come within 100 metres of Rihanna or threaten her in any way.

Though Brown, 20, will be allowed to perform his community labour in his home state of Virginia, he is required to appear before his sentencing judge in California every three months.

Brown was arrested hours after the February attack and pleaded guilty to felony assault in June. He apologized to fans in a video released and said he has apologized to Rihanna, who did not appear in court Tuesday. (dpa)