Chris Brown gets suspended jail term over UK nightclub ∆ttack

Chris Brown gets suspended jail term over UK nightclub attack

Chris Brown, the American singer, has been given an eight-month suspended prison sentence for attacking a producer with a tequila bottle at a London nightclub in 2023.

The singer and Omololu Akinlolu, his vocal coach, were sentenced at London’s Southwark Crown Court on Monday after pleading guilty to a charge of affray, which involves fighting or threatening violence in a way that causes fear of violence to others, over the attack on Abe Diaw at the Tape nightclub on February 19 2023.

The suspended sentence means they will not go to prison immediately. However, they could be required to serve the sentence if they commit another offence within the 12-month suspension period.

Brown and Akinlolu had pleaded guilty in July but denied charges of attempting to inflict grievous bodily harm, assault, causing actual bodily harm and possessing an offensive weapon, which were subsequently dropped.

The attack, which lasted less than 20 seconds, showed Brown, who was initially arrested in May, hitting Diaw four times with a tequila bottle, twice on the head.

Sallie Bennett-Jenkins KC, Brown’s lawyer, described the incident as “short and deeply regretted” while saying the singer had offered a “profound apology”.

“It is, however, an incident which was very short-lived, lasting something more than 17 seconds but no more than 20. It is something which undoubtedly would have caused distress to those who are present and for which Mr Brown offers a profound apology to all those present,” KC said.

Tony Baumgartner, the presiding judge, said Brown’s use of a glass bottle was “plainly dangerous” while describing Akinlolu as an “active participant” who initially wanted to “defend” the singer because he thought Brown was being attacked.

Baumgartner said Diaw was taken to hospital shortly after the incident, where he was found to have a head injury, musculoskeletal problems, tenderness around the cervical spine and abdomen, and reduced movement in his left knee.

The judge said Brown’s fame and success would not earn him special treatment, but his compliance with bail conditions over a long period would be taken into account during sentencing.

He sentenced Brown to eight months in prison, suspended for 12 months, while Akinlolu received a four-month sentence, also suspended for 12 months.