Chris Brown given suspended sentence for tequila bottle attack

Chris Brown, 37, has received an eight-month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, for striking a man twice on the head with a tequila bottle at a Mayfair nightclub in February 2023.

Southwark crown court handed down the sentence on Monday. The R&B singer had admitted affray earlier this year over the attack on former friend Abraham Diaw on the dancefloor of Tape, a private members' club in central London. His vocal coach Omololu Akinlolu, 40, who joined the assault, received four months' imprisonment, suspended for 12 months. Both men were ordered to pay £1,500 in costs.

Brown, from California, sat in the dock looking at the floor for much of the hearing before a packed public gallery.

What did the judge say?

Judge Baumgartner called the attack "plainly dangerous" and warned that "commercial success does not attract preferential treatment" in court.

In sentencing, he said: "The repeated use of a glass bottle in that way, especially aimed at the head, was plainly dangerous. It carried the risk of delivering a more serious injury than was ultimately sustained."

That caveat matters. The judge acknowledged the outcome — the injuries Diaw actually sustained — while stressing how much worse it could have been. The suspended sentence reflects the offence as charged, affray, not a more serious count such as wounding with intent.

What did the CCTV show?

The court watched footage in which Brown struck Abraham Diaw four times with the bottle, connecting twice with his head and then hitting his shoulder.

Heidi Stonecliffe KC, prosecuting, said Brown used a "heavy square-shaped tequila bottle" to "hit Mr Diaw twice over the left-hand side of his head". She said he rained down "further blows" as Diaw turned away.

Stonecliffe said Akinlolu then grabbed Diaw in a "bear hug". "Mr Diaw falls to the ground and Mr Brown is also seen throwing punches," she told the court.

A further clip showed Brown being pulled away from the victim. The incident began at about 3am and lasted about 20 seconds.

What does this change for Brown?

Practically, Brown walks free. A suspended sentence means no immediate custody unless he commits a further offence within 12 months. The £1,500 costs order and the conviction itself are the extent of the penalty the court imposed.

What the source does not say is whether Diaw has brought, or intends to bring, a civil claim — a common sequel to violent-incident convictions, and the question that now hangs over the singer. It also does not record any statement from Brown beyond his guilty plea. For now, the consequence is a criminal record and a year in which any repeat offence would activate the prison term.