The Backstreet Boys star and his friend Michael Rae Papayans were arrested outside a Key West bar after Carter allegedly grabbed a bouncer by the throat.

They were both charged with misdemeanour battery, but prosecutors have agreed to drop the charge against Carter if he completes 25 hours of community service before the end of September (16) under court supervision. He also owes $300 (£180) in fees, according to local news station WTVJ.

With most of the legal battle behind him, new father Nick tells Entertainment Tonight he is turning the harrowing incident into a positive by giving back to the community. Nick says he is planning to go back to Key West in July to perform a special charity concert in an effort to raise money for a cancer foundation and a local women's shelter.

The 36-year-old also admitted the brawl went down while he and his wife Lauren Kitt Carter were on a "babymoon", vacationing in Florida just months before welcoming their first son in April (16).

"It was our babymoon," Nick explained. "She's like, 'Go out and have some fun. Do what everybody else does.' But obviously I couldn't do what everybody else does. For me, especially having a child now, it was an awakening moment for me."

Nick isn't out of the woods just yet, as he's also facing a lawsuit from the security guard, who alleges he was injured in the spat. Skylar Carden accuses Carter of "striking and choking" him, and he is suing for mental anguish, pain and suffering, according to TMZ.com.

In the meantime, Nick is relishing his time as a new father to son Odin Reign, revealing he reads and sings lullabies from a 1,200 page edition of J.R.R. Tolkien's classic The Lord of the Rings.

"I'm determined to make sure he's an intelligent child!," Nick exclaimed.