Chris Brown has been sentenced to community service after he pleaded guilty to assaulting ex-girlfriend Rihanna.

The R&B star was ordered to serve 180 of community service in his home state of Virginia and he has been told he must stay away from Rihanna.

He'll also serve five years probation for felony assault, and he'll have to return to court periodically, so his efforts can be monitored.

Brown will also have to enrol in a domestic violence counselling program, according to TMZ.com.

The plea deal came just after Brown and Rihanna had arrived at Los Angeles Supreme Court for a preliminary hearing into his attack on the Umbrella singer on the eve of the Grammy Awards in February (09).

Rihanna was left beaten and bruised following the fight with her ex. Reports suggested the row was over correspondence Brown received from an ex-girlfriend.

The Disturbia singer obviously expected the worst when she arrived to court, where she was due to testify - she wore all black.

A bystander says, "It looked as if she was going to a funeral."