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Mel Gibson pleads no contest

MALIBU, Calif. (AP) _ Mel Gibson pleaded no contest to a misdemeanour drunken-driving charge Thursday and was sentenced to three years’ probation, the district attorney’s office said.

Gibson did not appear but entered the plea through his lawyer before Superior Court Judge Lawrence Mira, Deputy District Attorney Gina Satriano said in a statement.

Two counts in the original three-count complaint were dismissed, and Gibson volunteered to do public-service announcements on the hazards of drinking and driving, and to immediately enter rehabilitation, Satriano said.

The arraignment was originally scheduled for Sept. 28 but was moved up at the request of Gibson’s lawyer.

Gibson was stopped around 2:30 a.m. on July 28 while driving on Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu and made anti-Semitic remarks to the arresting deputy, plunging Gibson into a scandal that forced him to later apologize for what he called "belligerent behaviour" and "despicable" remarks.

Gibson was charged with misdemeanour driving under the influence of alcohol, driving while having a 0.08 per cent or higher blood-alcohol level, and the infraction of possessing an open container of alcohol while driving.

The first and third counts were dismissed in the deal.

"This was an appropriate outcome which addresses all the public safety concerns of drinking and driving," Satriano said.

The judge ordered Gibson to attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings five times a week for 4 months and three AA meetings per week for another 7 months.

The district attorney’s office also said he was ordered to enrol in an alcohol-abuse program for three months, fined a total of $1,300 US and had his licence restricted for 90 days