A People magazine reporter has been arrested for trespassing on Brad Pitt's Santa Barbara, California home, after he attempted to gatecrash the birthday party of Angelina Jolie's son, Maddox.

Jeffrey Neal Weiss, 23, was taken in custody by the actor's security manager - who made a citizen's arrest - and will return to court next month to see if Pitt will file or dismiss charges against him.

American website PageSix.com reports police found a printed email - containing directions to Pitt's house - addressed from People magazine's LA bureau chief Julie Jordan, in Weiss' car. A People editor insists Weiss "inadvertently trespassed on the beach. He regrets it". Pitt's publicist says, "It's too bad that the media can't respect people's privacy. If the media continue to trespass on private property, they will be arrested. This is getting out of control."