Singer Chris Brown has been sentenced to probation and community work for beating up his former girlfriend pop star Rihanna. Campaigners against domestic abuse are angry Brown was not jailed The 20-year-old pleaded guilty in June to one count of felony assault relating to an incident that occurred hours before the pair were due to perform at the Grammy Awards. At Los Angeles Superior Court, Brown was told that he must serve five years probation and perform six months of community labour in his home state of Virginia. Rihanna was not in court to see her attacker sentenced. The sentence was in line with recommendations agreed between Brown and prosecutors as part of a plea bargain. It has been heavily criticised by domestic abuse campaigners who claimed it is too lenient. The attack on Rihanna left her bleeding and badly bruised. Brown, her then boyfriend, was arrested on February 8, hours after a party in Los Angeles. According to an affidavit filed by an LA police detective, the altercation took place in a car when Rihanna checked Brown's mobile phone and found a text message from another woman. Detective De Shon Andrews wrote that Brown attempted to push Rihanna out of the vehicle before punching her repeatedly. He also bit her ear, the affidavit states. He then allegedly threatened to kill her when she pretended to phone her assistant to get police help. According to the detective, the alleged assault left Rihanna with a mouthful of blood. Brown is also alleged to have tried to choke her. Following the incident, pictures apparently showing the female singer's beaten and swollen face were leaked on to the internet. In July - five months after the attack - Brown publicly apologised for his behaviour. In a video posting on his website, the singer said he was "truly, truly sorry", adding that what he did was unacceptable and he had apologised to his victim "countless" times. Credit: Skynews