Chris Brown will be forced to do “hard labour” as a punishment for attacking Rihanna.

Looking tense: Chris Brown in the LA court yesterday with his lawyer Mark Geragos

The R&B star, who pleaded guilty in June to assaulting his ex-girlfriend, had his sentencing delayed yesterday while Los Angeles Superior Court judge Patricia Schnegg pushes for a tougher penalty.

Keeping busy: Rihanna leaving her recording studio at 5.30am

She will see if authorities in his home state of Virginia can accommodate her requirement that he serves community labour rather than community service. And she made it clear to Brown, 20, that she wants him to do physically demanding community work which is comparable to graffiti removal or roadside clean-up.

Brown struck a plea deal in June which called for him to serve six months' community service and five years' probation. He will now be formally sentenced on 27 August. He was arrested in February after attacking Rihanna, 21, in his car after a pre-Grammys party in Los Angeles.

According to police reports, she was left heavily bruised, with a “mouthful of blood”. The reports also said he bit her ear and threatened to kill her. Entertainment website TMZ posted a photograph of Rihanna shortly after the attack.

Victim: website TMZ's picture of Rihanna

Last month, Brown posted a video on his website in which he said he had repeatedly apologised to Rihanna for the attack and called his conduct “inexcusable”, vowing to do better.

Since the attack, Brown's career has taken a nosedive with radio stations refusing to play his music. Meanwhile, Rihanna has been throwing herself into her work and was spotted leaving a New York recording studio at 5.30am yesterday.

She did not comment on Brown's delayed sentencing but it is understood that her lawyers will ask the judge to lift the terms of his restraining order. The order prevents Brown coming within 50 yards of the Umbrella singer.