American singer Chris Brown has admitted attacking a man with a bottle in a private members' club in London, avoiding a trial on more serious charges. The 36-year-old pleaded guilty to affray at Southwark Crown Court on Friday, alongside his co-defendant Omololu Akinlolu.
The incident took place at the Tape club in Mayfair on 19 February 2023, after Brown performed a gig at Cardiff's Principality Stadium. Prosecutors said Brown struck music producer Abraham Diaw twice over the head with a glass bottle, before Akinlolu joined in by punching the victim. Diaw was also kicked while on the floor, sustaining head and knee injuries that required hospital treatment.
Brown and Akinlolu had initially pleaded not guilty to more serious assault charges and possession of an offensive weapon, but those charges were dropped after they admitted affray. Sentencing is scheduled for October. The Crown Prosecution Service described the attack as 'vicious and unprovoked'.
Brown was arrested in May 2025 at a Manchester hotel after arriving by private jet for his UK tour dates. He spent six days in prison before being released on bail, which included a £5 million security fee. The court allowed him to continue his world tour on condition he surrendered his passport in each country.
This is not Brown's first legal trouble. In 2009, he was sentenced to probation and community labour for assaulting his then-girlfriend, singer Rihanna, in a case that drew widespread attention.
