Timberlake pleads guilty to impaired driving

Justin Timberlake has pleaded guilty to impaired driving, resolving a criminal case stemming from his June arrest in New York’s Hamptons.

The N*SYNC singer-turned-solo star and actor appeared in Sag Harbor Village Court to enter a new plea to the lesser charge.

The judge sentenced Timberlake to a $US500 ($A745) fine with a $US260 surcharge, and 25 hours of community service at a non-profit of his choosing.

During the proceedings Timberlake remained standing throughout and gave a statement in which he expressed remorse for his actions.

He said he grew up in a small town and appreciated the kind of strain his arrest has made on Sag Harbor.

He said he has had a lot of time to reflect on his actions.

“I did not live up to the standards that I try to hold for myself,” he said.

Timberlake said he is “grateful for the opportunity to move forward” and use his platform to hopefully help others make “better decisions”.

“I should’ve had better judgment,” he said to the judge.

“I understand the seriousness of this.”

The pop star originally pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanour charge of driving while intoxicated and had his driver’s licence suspended during a hearing last month.

Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney’s office, which is prosecuting the case, declined to comment ahead of the hearing, as did Timberlake’s lawyer Edward Burke.

Timberlake was arrested in Sag Harbor, New York, a little after midnight on June 18 after police said he ran a stop sign in the village centre, veered out of his lane and got out of his BMW smelling of alcohol.

Police in court filings also said the 43-year-old Tennessee native’s eyes were “bloodshot and glassy” and that he had “slowed speech,” was unsteady on his feet and performed poorly on all sobriety tests.

Timberlake told the officer he had had one martini and was following some friends home, police said.

Sag Harbor is a one-time whaling village mentioned in Herman Melville’s classic novel Moby-Dick that is nestled amid the Hamptons, an area of seaside communities about 160km east of New York City.

The 10-time Grammy winner has not publicly addressed the arrest but seemed to acknowledge it during a performance in Chicago just days later.

“It’s been a tough week,” he told the audience during the June 21 show at the United Center.

“But you’re here and I’m here. Nothing can change this moment right now.”

Timberlake has been on tour for months in support of his latest album.