Snoop Dogg has avoided going to prison by pleading no contest to gun and drugs charges when he appeared in court in California yesterday. The rapper, aka Calvin Broadus was, as previously reported, set to face charges relating to one of his last year's many run-ins with the authorities, his arrest at Burbank's Bob Hope airport in October for being found in possession of both drugs and guns. Pasadena Superior Court Judge Terry Smerling sentenced Broadus to five years probation and 800 hours of community service, and also ruled that the hip-hopper must not include any gang members in his entourage in the future.
Snoop Dogg's lawyer Donald Etra said his client was grateful to have got off lightly, telling reporters: "He recognises the severity of this. He recognises he got a great a deal and he fully intends to make sure nothing prohibits him from keeping his part of the bargain."
Prosecutor Sandi Gibbons said: "We feel this is an equitable arrangement. Five years' probation is a very long period for these types of crimes, and the fact that he knows he will go to state prison - no ifs, ands or buts - if he violates probation is very important."