U.S. artist Chris Brown entered a guilty plea on Friday for an assault charge related to an incident at a London nightclub three years ago. The more severe assault charges against Brown, 37, and his vocal coach Omololu Akinlolu, 40, were dropped. The duo confessed in London’s Southwark Crown Court to the altercation at Tape nightclub in February 2023.
Initially facing charges of attempting to cause serious bodily harm and assault causing actual bodily harm to Abraham Diaw, Brown and Akinlolu denied the allegations. However, they admitted guilt to the charge of affray, acknowledging the use or threat of unlawful violence against an individual fearing for their safety. The court decided not to proceed with the other charges and granted bail to Brown and Akinlolu until their sentencing on Oct. 26.
The maximum penalty for affray is three years in prison, with Judge Tony Baumgartner stating that all options are on the table for sentencing. The Crown Prosecution Service’s Claire Campbell condemned the attack as vicious and unprovoked, highlighting Brown’s use of a glass bottle as a weapon.
Prosecutors accused Brown of launching an unprovoked attack on Diaw with a tequila bottle, with Akinlolu joining in the assault as Diaw attempted to escape. Arrested in May 2025 upon returning to Britain for the first time since the incident, Brown was initially denied bail, jeopardizing his global “Breezy Bowl XX” tour.
Despite the initial setback, Brown was eventually released after agreeing to pay a £5 million security fee, ensuring the tour could proceed. Leaving the court amid cheers from fans chanting “Breezy! Breezy!”, Brown signed autographs before departing in a waiting vehicle.
