A Paris court has sentenced Algerian singing star Cheb Mami to five years in prison for kidnapping and drugging his pregnant ex-girlfriend and attempting to perform an abortion on her.

The assault took place in 2005. The abortion attempt failed and the woman later gave birth to a daughter, who is now three years old.

After two years on the run, Cheb Mami - whose real name is Mohammed Khelifati - returned to France this week to face trial.

He scored a string of hits in the 1990s as one of the leading exponents of North African rai music and came to international prominence in a collaboration with British rock star Sting.