Singer The Weeknd escapes U.S. jail time after punching cop

Canadian singer The Weeknd has managed to avoid jail time in the United States after punching a Las Vegas police officer earlier this year.

According to court documents filed this week, the singer, whose real name is Abel Tesfaye, has agreed to “stay out of trouble” in exchange for having the case dismissed.

He also pledged to do 50 hours of community work in his native Canada, to contribute $1000 to a fund for injured police officers, and to undergo counseling.

The 25-year-old R&B singer was arrested in January at the Cromwell Hotel in Las Vegas after police were called in to break up a fight. He punched a police officer and was arrested following the incident.

The legal trouble came as The Weeknd was establishing himself as a major star with his album “Beauty Behind the Madness,” which spent three weeks at number one on the US chart.

The Weeknd, best known for his hit song “Can’t Feel My Face,” is considered an early favorite for the upcoming Grammy Awards.

The singer, the son of Ethiopian immigrants, rose from obscurity in 2010 when he posted songs on YouTube.