Justin Bieber may be prosecuted for assault.

The Boyfriend singer had a scuffle with a photographer on Sunday (27 May) – after which the snapper was taken to hospital complaining of chest pains – and the case is being referred to the Los Angeles County District Attorney for possible criminal prosecution.

If Bieber were charged and convicted of criminal battery, the 18-year-old singer could face up to six months in prison.

According to gossip website TMZ, police have decided to refer the case to prosecutors even though their investigations are not yet complete – which the site says is a fairly common practice in high profile cases.

BANG Showbiz reports that police want to question Bieber about the incident – but the singer is currently in Norway.

The run-in occurred at a California mall after the photographer tried to take a picture of Bieber and his girlfriend, Selena Gomez.

According to reports, the photographer called the police and was briefly admitted to hospital. He later filed a police report naming Bieber as the culprit.

When police arrived at the scene, Bieber and Gomez had already left.

Another photographer at the mall told police that the paparazzi was the one in the wrong.

The source said: "He absolutely stepped over the line.  He not only blocked Justin from the car but appeared to say something ugly - just to make the kid lose his temper."

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