Gibson planning to counter-sue Oksana

Mel Gibson has reportedly threatened to counter-sue ex-partner Oksana Grigorieva for extortion if she continues with a planned civil lawsuit against him.

The Braveheart actor was sentenced to 16 hours of community service and 52 weeks of counselling after pleading no contest to a misdemeanour battery charge stemming from an altercation with Grigorieva last year.

Following the verdict, Grigorieva announced her intention to sue Gibson for "battery, emotional distress and defamation".

However, sources close to Gibson have allegedly told TMZ that the actor plans to wage "legal war" if Grigorieva continues with the lawsuit and will "gladly" resurrect an extortion case against his former lover.

Gibson argued back in July that Grigorieva was guilty of the charge after she agreed to destroy evidence of his violent outbursts in return for a $15m (£9.3m) payment.