Chris Brown avoids jail after admitting nightclub affray charge

R&B superstar Chris Brown has been handed an eight-month suspended prison sentence for affray over a bottle attack in a London nightclub.

The singer, 37, was handed the sentence at a hearing in Southwark Crown Court on Monday.

His vocal coach, Omololu Akinlolu, 40, was handed a four-month suspended sentence over the incident at the Tape private members’ club in Mayfair in 2023.

Judge Tony Baumgartner told the pair: “Violence of this kind in a crowded nightclub is serious.”

Addressing Brown, he said: “The repeated use of a glass bottle against the head made your conduct particularly dangerous.”

The court was earlier shown CCTV of Brown striking his former friend, Abraham Diaw, with a bottle of tequila in the club.

Brown had been facing trial after he hit Mr Diaw twice over the head on the dancefloor at Tape.

The pair jointly admitted affray in July.

In front of an excited and packed public gallery, CCTV footage was shown where Brown swiped multiple times at Mr Diaw, connecting twice with his head, and then hitting his shoulder.

R&B singer Chris Brown arriving at Southwark Crown Court on Monday morning

PA

In another clip, Brown could be seen being “pulled away” from his victim.

Heidi Stonecliffe KC, prosecuting, described the weapon as a “heavy square shaped tequila bottle” and said he approached Mr Diaw at around 3am.

“We then see Mr Brown hit Mr Diaw twice over the left-hand side of his head,” she said.

Ms Stonecliffe told the court that Akinlolu had grabbed Mr Diaw in a “bear hug”.

She said: “Mr Diaw falls to the ground and Mr Brown is also seen throwing punches.”

A crowd of photographers and fans gathered outside the court

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She said the incident lasted around 20 seconds.

Mr Diaw was taken to St Mary’s Hospital following the incident.

The prosecutor said he was discharged with “pain relief and a diagnosis of head injury and superficial injury of the knee”.

An MRI scan taken in early March showed a “high grade injury to a ligament on the inner side of the left knee”, the court heard.

Brown was accompanied by security guards as he turned up at Southwark Crown Court early on Monday morning.

He wore a cap, black leather jacket and face mask. A few fans could be heard cheering as Brown exited his vehicle and walked into the building.