Comedian and Actor Russell Brand has been fined $500 (£322) and ordered to do 20 hours of community service for damaging a photographer's mobile phone.

The fine and community service must be completed before the end of August.

Brand's lawyer, Robert Glass, pleaded not guilty on his behalf at a hearing at Orleans Parish Municipal Court on Thursday morning.

Glass said that the Brand could complete his community service “at any charity or agency anywhere, whether it be in California or England.” A follow-up status hearing is set for 31st August.

Brand tweeted a predictably silly response to the arrest, “Since Steve Jobs died I cannot bear to see anyone use an iphone irreverently, what I did was a tribute to his memory.”

Brand, who split from wife Katy Perry at the end of December, is currently dating Actress Jordana Brewster's sister, Isabelle.

It is the second legal incident Russell has been involved with this month, his divorce from Katy Perry was finalized after the six months cooling off period required by Californian was reached.