Lee Tamahori placed on probation in sex case

Filmmaker Lee Tamahori, arrested last month on a sex charge while wearing a woman's dress and wig, was placed on probation after pleading no contest on Thursday to a lesser offense of criminal trespass reports Reuters.

The no-contest plea, equivalent in California to pleading guilty, was entered on the trespassing charge by Tamahori's lawyer in exchange for prosecutors dropping the more serious charge of prostitution. The loitering count also was dismissed.

The New Zealander was arrested for allegedly soliciting a police officer in Los Angeles while dressed in drag reports BBC .

Tamahori, 55, was given three years probation, 15 days community service and must take an Aids awareness course.

"He's pleased with the outcome, and he's back at work," Tamahori's lawyer Mark Geragos said.

The director was arrested on 8 January after allegedly offering to perform a sex act on an undercover officer taking part in a prostitution sting in Hollywood.

According to law enforcement, Tamahori, whose credits included 'Die Another Day,' 'XXX: State of the Union,' 'Along Came a Spider' and 'The Sopranos,' was allegedly dressed in drag, approached an undercover officer who was in his car, entered the vehicle and offered to perform a sex act for money reports TMZ

As part of his community service Tamahori will be working on projects to help clean up Hollywood.

"It is a project where convicts clean the streets in Hollywood and paint out graffiti," said Los Angeles' City Attorney's office spokesman Frank Matelijan