Chris Brown pleads guilty to affray over London nightclub attack

US singer Chris Brown has pleaded guilty to affray over what prosecutors called "a vicious and unprovoked attack" in a London nightclub in 2023.

Police said CCTV showed that Brown, one of the world's biggest R&B stars, hit the victim on the head with a glass bottle several times, and that the man was then chased, pushed to the floor and kicked.

The 37-year-old star had been due to face a trial on more serious charges, which he denied - assault, attempting to cause grievous bodily harm, and having an offensive weapon, namely a tequila bottle. However, those charges have now been dropped.

Affray, which is defined as using or threatening violence towards someone and making them fear for their safety, is punishable by up to three years in jail. Brown will be sentenced in October.

Brown's vocal coach, 40-year-old Omololu Akinlolu, a rapper from Florida who performs under the name Hoody Baby, also pleaded guilty to affray and had assault and attempted grievous bodily harm charges dropped.

Det Con Zara Ripamonti of the Metropolitan Police said: "This was a disgraceful, unprovoked assault that put a man in hospital.

"There is no place for serious violence like this in the London and I'm pleased these men accepted what they did wasn't just completely unacceptable - but criminal.

"This has been a long investigation and we've worked with police colleagues in the UK to bring these two men to justice."

The attack happened at the Tape venue, a private members' club in Mayfair, in the early hours of 19 February 2023.

Prosecutors said Brown approached the victim from the dance floor then struck him over the head with a bottle, and Akinlolu joined Brown and punched the victim in the head.

"They continued their assault whilst the victim attempted to flee through the club," the Crown Prosecution Service said in a statement. "The victim was kicked while he was seated defenceless on the floor."

The victim, music producer Abe Diaw, needed hospital treatment for head and knee injuries.

Claire Campbell, senior crown prosecutor in CPS London South, said: "This was a vicious and unprovoked attack by Brown and Akinlolu in a crowded nightclub where Brown used a glass bottle as a weapon to strike the victim's head twice.

"This kind of violence is entirely unacceptable, and the Crown Prosecution Service will work tirelessly - with the police and partners across the criminal justice system - to pursue cases like this, and prove that no one is above the law."

Brown and Akinlolu entered their pleas at Southwark Crown Court on Friday in a hearing that took less than five minutes.

Judge Tony Baumgartner scheduled the sentencing hearing for the affray charges for both men for 26 October.

The judge set bail conditions that allow Brown to leave the UK, but he must return on 25 October.

Brown is known for tracks including Loyal, Look At Me Now and With You.

He waved at fans as he arrived at court, flanked by security guards while wearing a beige suit and baseball cap.

Fans played his music, held up signs and shouted his name, with one heard declaring: "I love you Chris."

At earlier hearings, he was ordered to pay a £5m security fee as part of his bail conditions, which also allowed him to go on a world tour as long as he surrendered his passport on arrival in each country.

Last summer, the performer joked on-stage about his "nice" time in jail following his arrest in Manchester as he kicked off his tour at the city's Co-Op Live arena.

"Thank you for coming and supporting me," he said to fans in Manchester. "And thank you to the jail," he joked, referring to a spell in custody. "It was really nice."

In 2009, Brown pleaded guilty to beating his then-girlfriend, pop star Rihanna shortly before the pair were due to perform at the Grammy Awards.

He was sentenced in that case to 180 days' community labour and five years' probation.

He later said he felt like a "monster" and the fight would "haunt me forever."