Chris Brown given suspended eight-month prison sentence over nightclub attack

US singer Chris Brown avoided a prison sentence after assaulting a man at a London nightclub on February 19, 2023. Brown struck the victim twice in the head with a glass tequila bottle, while his vocal coach, rapper Omololu Akinlolu, punched the victim. Both men pleaded guilty to affray, and Brown was given an eight-month suspended prison sentence.

Judge Tony Baumgartner highlighted the dangerous nature of Brown's actions, stating that the use of the glass bottle to strike the victim twice over the head was "plainly dangerous." The violence displayed by Brown was described as "intense" by the judge. Akinlolu received a four-month suspended sentence. Both men were ordered to pay £1,500 in costs.

Judge Baumgartner noted that Brown's fame and professional standing did not entitle him to special treatment, as the law applied equally to everyone. However, he also considered Brown's guilty plea, compliance with bail conditions, and the impact a custodial sentence would have on Brown's children, concluding that the singer's risk of further offending was low.

The court heard CCTV footage of the attack, which lasted no more than 20 seconds, showing Brown striking the victim four times with the bottle, twice to the head. Diaw required hospital treatment for his injuries, including a high-grade injury to a ligament in his left knee.