Los Angeles  - R&B singer Chris Brown is seeking a plea deal on charges related to his alleged beating of superstar girlfriend Rihanna, it was reported Monday.

Brown, 19, was charged with assault and making criminal threats, following the highly publicized fight with his popstar Rihanna, 21, last month.

Website TMZ. com reported that Brown would plea guilty to a misdemeanor charge with no jail time. The report said that his lawyers were prepared to fight the existing charges on the basis of a claim that Rihanna instigated the violence when she started slapping and striking Brown "numerous times" while he was driving, after seeing a text message to Brown from a previous girlfriend.

If convicted on the current charges, Brown's sentence could range from probation to more than four years in prison, the Los Angeles County district attorney's office said.

The incident occurred in a car in Los Angeles on February 8, just hours before the glamour couple were due to perform at the Grammy Awards. According to police, who identified the victim as Robyn F - Rihanna's full name is Robyn Rihanna Fenty, Brown and Rihanna got into an argument over the text message and he tried to push her out of the car.

"Robyn F turned to face Brown and he punched her in the left eye with his right hand. He then drove away in the vehicle and continued to punch her in the face with his right hand while steering the vehicle with his left hand. The assault caused Robyn F's mouth to fill with blood and blood to splatter all over her clothing and the interior of the vehicle," said a police statement presented in Thursday's court hearing.

Brown also threatened to kill Rihanna after she faked a call to her assistant. "You just did the stupidest thing ever. Now I'm really going to kill you," the singer said, according to the affidavit.

The document described in detail the brutal manner in which Brown attacked Rihanna - punching her in the face, arms and legs, trying to strangle her, and biting her ears and fingers.

As she screamed for help, Brown got out of the car and a resident from the neighbourhood called the police.

Brown was initially arrested, but later released on a 50,000- dollar bail.

The singer apologized to his girlfriend nine days later, via text message, police said. Some three weeks after the fight, Rihanna and Brown were seen together again. (dpa)