Foxy Brown has escaped going back to jail after accepting a plea deal in an ongoing assault case.

The star was released from New York's Riker's Island Prison on 18 April after serving eight months of a 12-month sentence for probation violations.

But Brown - real name Inga Marchand - faced heading back behind bars as part of another case, in which she was charged with misdemeanour battery in relation to an incident in March 2007.

Brown was accused of attacking a beauty supply store employee in Miami, Florida after being told to leave the shop at closing time.

But the star escaped a possible two-year jail sentence by accepting a plea deal.

Instead, she will serve six months probation, complete 15 hours of community service and write apology letters to the store owner and the employee.