Rap star admits nail salon attack

Brown blamed her late arrival on a hurricane in Jamaica

US rapper Foxy Brown has pleaded guilty to assault charges in a New York court, only to change her mind minutes later.

The 26-year-old admitted to assaulting two nail salon workers in August 2004 in a dispute over a $20 (£10) manicure.

Shortly afterwards, however, she asked to withdraw the plea, claiming she had been rushed into making a decision.

But Judge Melissa Jackson refused the singer, telling her to make a written motion ahead of a formal sentencing hearing scheduled for 23 October.

According to a spokesman for the Manhattan district attorney's office, the plea requires her to serve three years probation and take anger management classes.

Brown - real name Inga Marchand - rejected an earlier plea deal last May, demanding the assault charges be reduced to the lesser count of disorderly conduct.

She does not come in completely pristine to the court Judge Melissa Jackson

At a subsequent court appearance in December, she was handcuffed and threatened with jail after she stuck her tongue out at Judge Jackson.

Brown had been due to appear in court on Monday morning to plead guilty to the misdemeanour assault charges, according to the Reuters news agency.

But did not appear until later the afternoon, blaming her delayed arrival on a hurricane in Jamaica where she had been performing a concert.

The judge noted the case was 18 months old and said the singer did not come to the court "completely pristine".

Earlier this month the rapper - best known for her 1999 album Chyna Doll - missed a court hearing in New Jersey over separate charges filed by a former colleague relating to alleged "terroristic threats".