Penn gets community service for paparazzo scuffle
The Oscar winner for films like Mystic River and Milk was not in court Wednesday, but entered the plea through his attorney.
The 49-year-old actor — who faced charges of misdemeanour battery and vandalism — received a sentence of three years informal probation, 300 hours of community service and 36 hours of anger management counselling, according to a city attorney's spokesman.
He must also stay 100 yards [about 91 metres] away from photographer Jordan Dawes — who has also filed a civil lawsuit against Penn over the incident at an upscale Los Angeles shopping centre in October.
If he completes the terms of his sentence, Penn will be allowed to reduce the charge to disturbing the peace.
Though he has more recently been known for his activism, his charity work in Haiti and his celebrated film performances, Penn's career has been peppered with instances where his temper has flared and for scuffles with paparazzi.
With files from The Associated Press