Chris Brown Given Suspended Sentence Over Bottle Attack at…

Chris Brown Given Suspended Sentence Over Bottle Attack at London Club

27.10.2026 12:19 HotInfo

American R&B singer Chris Brown was sentenced on Monday at Southwark Crown Court in London to eight months' imprisonment, suspended for 12 months. His vocal coach Omololu Akinlolu, who joined in the attack, received four months, also suspended for 12 months. Both men must pay court costs of £1,500. The Guardian ↗

The 37-year-old singer pleaded guilty earlier this year to affray. In February 2023, at the private members' club Tape in London's Mayfair district, he attacked his former friend Abraham Diaw on the dance floor with a heavy tequila bottle. In security camera footage shown to the court, he hit him with the bottle four times, twice to the head. The incident took place at around three in the morning and lasted approximately 20 seconds. Judge Baumgartner described the attack as "plainly dangerous" and noted that "commercial success does not buy preferential treatment." The Guardian ↗

Brown was originally also charged with actual bodily harm, grievous bodily harm, and possession of an offensive weapon, charges he denied. These charges were ultimately dropped. Diaw sued him for $16 million in October 2023, but withdrew the lawsuit in June 2025. In May 2025, Brown was detained after arriving in Manchester, where he was due to perform. His defense lawyer Sallie Bennett-Jenkins described the incident as "ugly and repugnant" and said her client had sincerely apologized to everyone present. Rolling Stone ↗

Brown is currently on a joint R&B tour with Usher across North America. He has cancelled several concerts, citing a priority on the health of his team and crew; according to the magazine, the dates overlapped with his preparation for sentencing. The tour is scheduled to continue on November 5 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Rolling Stone ↗

Chris Brown performing in Sydney in 2012, archive photo. Photo: Eva Rinaldi / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0