Former James Bond actor Pierce Brosnan has been fined after pleading guilty to stepping off a trail in a thermal area in Yellowstone National Park.
Brosnan, 70, walked in an off-limits area at Mammoth Terraces, in the northern part of Yellowstone near the Wyoming-Montana border, on 1 November last year, according to park officials.
Mammoth Terraces is a scenic spot of mineral-encrusted hot springs bubbling from a hillside, with water sometimes at or near boiling point.
He had initially pleaded not guilty in January, but said in an Instagram post on Friday he “did not see” a sign warning against trespassing and “made an impulsive mistake”.
Brosnan, who called in to the court hearing in Wyoming, was fined $500 (£392) and ordered to make a $1,000 (£784) donation to nonprofit organisation Yellowstone Forever by 1 April.
“As an environmentalist I have the utmost respect for and love of our natural world,” Brosnan added.
“However, I made an impulsive mistake – one that I do not take lightly – when entering a thermal area covered in snow in Yellowstone National Park to take a photograph.
“I did not see a ‘no trespassing’ sign posted that warned of danger nor did I hike in the immediate area.
“I deeply regret my transgression and offer my heartfelt apologies to all for trespassing in this sensitive area. Yellowstone and all our National Parks are to be cared for and preserved for all to enjoy.”
Visitors enjoying the Daisy Geyser in the park. Pic: AP
A second offence, for violating closures and use limits, was dismissed by US magistrate judge Stephanie Hambrick.
The US Attorney’s Office for Wyoming said Brosnan was in the park on a personal visit and not for film work.
Going out-of-bounds in areas like Mammoth Terraces can be dangerous, with some of the millions of visitors to Yellowstone each year badly burned after ignoring warnings not to stray off the trail.
Getting caught can risk jail time too, with hefty fines and bans from the park handed down to trespassers regularly.
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Brosnan has appeared in four James Bond films, starred in the 1980s TV series Remington Steele and is known for roles in the Mrs Doubtfire and The Thomas Crown Affair.
