Britney Spears breaks silence after pleading guilty to 'wet reckless' charge after DUI arrest

Britney Spears has spoken out for the first time since avoiding prison time after pleading guilty to reckless driving involving drugs or alcohol.

The pop icon was initially arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence, and pleaded guilty to the lesser charge in a court hearing.

She was sentenced to 12 months probation, and must now also complete a Driving Under the Influence (DUI) class in addition to fees and fines that she will have to pay.

Spears was arrested on March 4 after driving her BMW 'erratically at a high rate of speed' on a California highway, according to authorities.

Following her arrest, Spears checked herself into a rehabilitation centre.

Now, Spears has publicly spoken out on her social media page for the first time since the incident.

Spears pleaded guilty to a lesser charge (Bill Davila/FilmMagic)

In a post on her Instagram page, the singer shared a picture of a snake.

She didn't address the incident directly, but wrote about how snakes can be a symbol of 'good health', and expressed her thanks for her friends, as well as saying that she wants to 'learn how to be kind to myself'.

"Went to the pet store with my kids and look at what what a beautiful baby snake this is," she wrote. "Snakes are symbolic of good health, higher consciousness, and pure luck…

"I’m so damn thankful to my friends and so many new beautiful people I have met through my spiritual journey… all a blessing in disguise…"

She added: "I still have to learn how to be kind to myself and the way I speak to myself… It’s a never ending journey and sometimes I just stop, look up and say wow God I think that was you and smile on!!!!"

Spears checked herself into rehab after the incident (Jason LaVeris/Contributor/Getty)

Spears' lawyer Michael Goldstein has also previously issued a statement on her behalf following the court hearing.

"Through her plea today, Britney has accepted responsibility for her conduct," the statement said.

"She has taken significant steps to implement positive change which is clearly reflected in the Ventura County District Attorney's decision to reduce the charge in this case and dismiss the DUI."

The star's sentence for the charge of reckless driving involving drugs or alcohol is what's known as a 'wet reckless' charge, where prosecutors accept a lesser offence if someone agrees to plead guilty, avoiding a trial.

This practice is used in cases where a defendant doesn't have any previous convictions related to drink driving and had a relatively low blood alcohol level.