Pierce Brosnan pleads not guilty to “petty offences”

Pierce Brosnan has pleaded not guilty after allegedly entering prohibited areas of Yellowstone National Park.

The 007 actor faced two charges after he was accused of hiking into a thermal area in the Wyoming National Park in November last year.

The Mammoth Terraces hot springs and thermal area are both delicate ecosystems within the park. They are also dangerous; 20 people have died previously by falling into boiling water, and last November a deceased man was found floating in one of the hot springs.

The court documents labelled the charges against Pierce as a “petty offence.”

The Mamma Mia! actor was due to appear in court on January 23, but he applied to cancel the hearing, and plead not guilty via paper filing. The hearing is now set for a virtual conference on February 20.

If Pierce, 70, is found guilty of his alleged offence, he faces a fine of up to $5000 (£3905). Previously, visitors have been jailed for up to six months for the same offence.

At the time of the alleged offence, Pierce had been filming a new movie in nearby Montana. The Unholy Trinity is a Western film where he stars as a sheriff alongside Samuel L. Jackson.