Azealia Banks strikes plea deal in assault case

Rapper Azealia Banks has avoided jail time by striking a plea deal in her assault case.

The 212 hitmaker was accused of spitting at and biting a female bouncer outside a nightclub in 2015. A bench warrant was issued for her arrest earlier this month (Mar17) after she failed to show up for court. However, the warrant was rescinded when the 25-year-old appeared the following day.

She was subsequently released without bail and on Wednesday (15Mar17) she agreed to a plea deal on a third-degree assault charge.

"Did you intentionally cause physical injury to Christine Soares by biting down on her breast?" Manhattan Criminal Court Judge Ann Scherzer asked Banks.

"Yes," she responded.

According to the New York Post's Page Six column, she was given a deferred no-jail sentence and was ordered to complete an anger management program, mental health treatment, and abide by a full order of protection. If she does not violate any conditions of the plea agreement the assault charge against her will be reduced to disorderly conduct. She faces up to a year behind bars if she does not adhere to the plea terms.

She is due back in court in June (17) for a hearing on her progress.

Banks' erratic behavior has been making headlines for all the wrong reasons for months - she engaged in a social media feud with Bajan singer Rihanna over controversial U.S. President Donald Trump's so-called Muslim ban at the end of January (17), and her lawsuit against Russell Crowe, in which she accused the Australian actor of spitting at her and calling her derogatory names at a Beverly Hills party in October (16), was thrown out by the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office just before Christmas (16).