$2,000 drugs fine for Paris Hilton

PARIS Hilton has agreed to plead guilty to two offences stemming from her arrest last month at a Las Vegas resort.

Under the terms of a plea bargain with prosecutors, the celebrity heiress will serve a year of probation and avoid a conviction.

The deal means Hilton will plead guilty to drug possession and obstructing an officer. She must complete a drug abuse programme, pay a $2,000 fine and serve 200 hours of community service.

Hilton, 29, was arrested on 26 August inside the Wynn resort after police found a small plastic bag containing 0.8 grams of cocaine they say fell out of her Chanel purse as she reached for a tube of lip balm while standing in front of a police lieutenant.

Her defence lawyer, David Chesnoff, confirmed the details of the deal. The original felony cocaine possession charge would not have resulted in any jail time in any case.

Clark County district attorney David Roge said he wanted to obtain a pledge from the hotel heiress to stay out of trouble, and said the deal accomplished that goal.

"If she is arrested for anything besides a minor traffic violation she will spend a year in jail," he said. "There will be no discussion. The court will have no discretion."

The agreement does not call for Hilton to be assigned a probation officer, meaning she can't break any laws but won't have anyone to report to or check in with.

Hilton initially told police the purse and cocaine were not hers, but claimed some items in the designer handbag, including cigarette rolling papers and $1,300 in cash and several credit cards, did belong to her.