Justin Timberlake pleads guilty to driving while intoxicated

Justin Timberlake pleads guilty to driving while intoxicated and slapped with community service
Justin Timberlake looked solemn as he arrived at a court in the Hamptons early on Friday where he was expected to agree to a plea of Driving While Ability Impaired

Justin Timberlake arrived at court on Friday to face driving charges
Justin Timberlake arrived at court on Friday to face driving charges
Justin Timberlake looked downcast as he pleaded guilty after driving while intoxicated.

Fans of the 43-year-old Mirrors singer were shocked in June when he was arrested for Driving While Intoxicated in Sag Harbor, New York. He was also slapped with citations for jumping a red light and failing to stay in one lane while driving.

Earlier this week, reports revealed the star had agreed a plea bargain to have his charges changed to Driving While Ability Impaired – a lesser charge which can lead to a fine of up to $500 (£380) fine but automatically results in a 90-day driver license suspension. On Friday, he arrived at court to learn his ultimate fate after his lawyers managed to strike their deal with prosecutors.

He has since been slapped with a fine and ordered to perform community service. The global singer also agreed to be part of a public service announcement to warn people of the dangers of drunk driving.

The pop sensation wore a sombre outfit consisting of a tan pair of trousers, a black t-shirt, and a coal-coloured cardigan as he prepared to hear from the judges at the court in the Hamptons. The star also wore a pair of dark sunglasses – and accessorised with pearl necklaces, which were evocative of the kind the late Princess Diana would wear.

Justin Timberlake wearing pearls
The singer wore tan trousers, a dark cardigan, and pearl necklaces to his court case ( Image: Anadolu via Getty Images)

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On Wednesday, TMZ reported that Justin’s legal team had managed to convince prosecutors to charge the star as Driving While Ability Impaired charge – a lesser crime than drink driving. A source previously told MailOnline: “Justin was out to dinner with friends and there were cop cars stationed outside the restaurant like there are most nights. They look for people who are leaving after midnight who might have been drinking. Justin left at 12:30am and was pulled over as soon as he left. Nobody was hurt and there was no drama at the scene.”

While another source defended the singer to People on Thursday, describing him as: “A family man, and this is his focus. He accepted a plea deal because he wants to move on. The court case has been a distraction. He doesn’t want his family to be affected by it.”

Following his arrest, Justin was ridiculed and became the focus of internet memes when he whined to the arresting officer that his arrest would affect “the tour”. The police official, however, was so young he had no idea who the chart-topping star was and innocuously asked: “What tour?”

Crowds gathered outside the court in the Hamptons where Justin appeared ( Image: Anadolu via Getty Images)
Justin then mournfully remarked: “The world tour”. Indeed, he is currently in the trows of his The Forget Tomorrow World Tour which is due to keep him on the road until June 2025. He was arrested in the early stages of the tour and addressed his bad behaviour with his audience at one of his shows.

He told fans in Chicago in June, days after his arrest: “It’s been a tough week… This [tour] is just something that keeps watching over me, more so on this tour than any other. And that’s that mostly all of us here in this room tonight, in this arena tonight, have grown up together.”

He continued: “So many of you come up to me and say, ‘I grew up with you, man.’ … I want each and every one of you to know I’ve grown up with you,” he continued. “You have been such a big and beautiful part of my life and sometimes I can’t find the words to show my gratitude that you guys just keep riding with me and riding with me.”