Chris Brown given eight-month suspended sentence for London nightclub assault

Chris Brown has been given an eight-month suspended prison sentence after pleading guilty to affray over an attack at a London nightclub in 2023.

The American R&B singer, 37, was sentenced at Southwark Crown Court. The eight-month term was suspended for 12 months, so he avoided immediate jail. His vocal coach, Omololu Akinlolu, was given a four-month suspended sentence for the same offence. Brown was also ordered to pay £1,500 in costs.

The court heard that the incident happened in February 2023 in the VIP area of the Tape nightclub in Mayfair, central London. CCTV played in court showed Brown hitting music producer Abe Diaw with a heavy square tequila bottle, including twice to the head and once to the shoulder. The victim tried to leave, but the attack lasted around 20 seconds. Akinlolu joined in, and the pair chased Diaw, punching and kicking him before Brown was pulled away. Diaw needed hospital treatment for head and knee injuries.

Brown had originally faced more serious charges, including grievous bodily harm, but those were dropped after he pleaded guilty to affray in July. The judge, Tony Baumgartner, said the repeated use of a glass bottle, particularly towards the head, was plainly dangerous and risked much more serious injury. He told Brown that fame, commercial success and professional standing did not entitle him to special treatment and that the law applied equally to everyone. The judge also said Brown had played the leading role in the joint offending.

In mitigation, the court took account of Brown's long career, stable employment, responsibilities to others and charitable work, including work with young people. The judge accepted the attack was not premeditated and that Brown had shown good character since his earlier convictions. Brown was largely emotionless as the sentence was read out. His lawyer said in court that he offered a profound apology. Outside court he made no comment to reporters, but he signed autographs and fist-bumped fans. Some supporters applauded in and outside court. He later posted a video on social media. The victim was not in court and the court heard that he did not support the prosecution.

The Metropolitan Police said the attack was inexcusable and had put a man in hospital. A senior officer said it had taken several years to secure the result, that suspects had been out of the UK and that violence would not be accepted on London's streets regardless of a person's profile. The Crown Prosecution Service called it a vicious and unprovoked attack in which Brown used a glass bottle as a weapon. It said no one is above the law.

The sentencing is not Brown's first criminal case. He pleaded guilty in 2009 to assaulting his then girlfriend, Rihanna, and in 2013 he admitted assaulting a fan. Earlier this month, a civil trial ordered him to pay $9.5m to a former cleaner after his guard dog mauled her face. Despite the conviction, his career continues. He is due to play five nights in Atlanta next week to almost 400,000 fans.