First Chris Brown beat Rihanna, then he beat jail.
The heavy-handed crooner copped an 11th-hour deal, pleading guilty to one felony count of assault for pummeling his former flame, in return for probation, community service and domestic-violence counseling.
The deal came just minutes before Rihanna was set to sing on the witness stand and recount the ugly attack that left her bloody and bruised four months ago.
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Brown will be on probation for five years and in domestic-violence counseling for one year, according to defense lawyer Mark Geragos. He’ll be allowed to do community service in his home state of Virginia in lieu of 180 days in jail in LA.
He’d faced more than four years behind bars if convicted of all charges.
DA spokeswoman Sandi Gibbons said prosecutors and Judge Patricia Schnegg will make sure Brown’s community service won’t be a walk in the park — it’s estimated he’ll do 1,400 hours of manual labor.
In California, community service typically means picking up trash on the side of the freeway, or painting over graffiti.
“The judge wants to make sure it involves labor,” Gibbons said.
Brown, sporting a gray suit, clasped his hands behind his back as he responded, “Yes ma’am” to a series of procedural questions posed by the DA.
He’ll be formally sentenced Aug. 5.
As soon as Brown strolled out of court, Rihanna was ushered in through a side entrance so Schnegg could tell her details of the plea deal.
“Thank you very much,” the singer replied.
Schnegg insisted Brown stay at least 50 yards from Rihanna — and at least 10 yards away from her when they’re at the same industry event.
Even as Schnegg imposed the protection order on Brown, she praised him for owning up.
“I think it’s commendable you took responsibility for your conduct,” she told him.
Lawyer Donald Etra said Rihanna hadn’t been afraid of testifying.
“Rihanna stated she would do whatever [prosecutors] wanted her to do,” he said. “She was here and would have testified.”
Brown, 20, surrendered to cops on Feb. 8, hours after he beat Rihanna, 21, following an appearance at a music-industry party early on the morning of the Grammys.
Rihanna told cops the brawl began after she spotted a text message in her then-beau’s phone from “a woman Brown had a previous sexual relationship with.”
As the argument escalated, Brown slammed Rihanna’s head into the passenger window, punched her in the left eye, and then pummeled her with his right hand as he steered with the left, according to an affidavit written by Detective DeShon Andrews.
Rihanna began spitting up blood as Brown allegedly raged, “I’m going to beat the s – – – out of you when we get home!”
The bruised songbird called her assistant: “I’m on my way home, make sure the cops are there when I get there!”
But the warning pushed Brown further over the edge, cops said — and he made more threats.
“You just did the stupidest thing ever! Now I’m really going to kill you!” Brown allegedly shouted, unleashing another series of punches.