American R&B star Chris Brown has admitted affray over what police described as a “vicious and unprovoked” bottle attack on a music producer inside a London nightclub.
The 37-year-old singer had been due to stand trial later this year after he struck former friend Abraham Diaw twice over the head on the dancefloor at Tape, the private members’ club in Mayfair, in 2023.
Prosecutors dropped a charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, along with two further allegations of possessing an offensive weapon — a bottle — in a public place and attempting to cause grievous bodily harm during the court proceedings.
Brown, who has a previous conviction for assaulting his former girlfriend, pop superstar Rihanna, stopped to sign autographs for a small group of fans as he left Southwark Crown Court after the brief hearing.
His vocal coach, Omololu Akinlolu, 40, also pleaded guilty to affray. Both men are scheduled to be sentenced on October 26.
Detective Constable Zara Ripamonti, of the Metropolitan Police Service, said: “This was a disgraceful, unprovoked assault that put a man in hospital.
“There is no place for serious violence like this in 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.”
Pop star Chris Brown has admitted affray
Brown’s vocal coach Omololu Akinlolu admitted the same offence
Brown will be sentenced later this year
Brown signed autographs for fans moments after pleading guilty to affray
READ MORE: Former Nick Clegg Aide Charged With Sexually Assaulting Woman
US singer Brown, pictured wearing a baseball cap, arrives at Southwark Crown Court
The 37-year-old has admitted affray
Claire Campbell, senior Crown prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service in London, 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.’
During a brief hearing, prosecutor Heidi Stonecliffe KC applied for an extra charge of affray to be added to the indictment, saying this had been accepted by all parties.
A court clerk then read out the charge to the singer and his vocal coach which alleged: ‘Chris Brown and Omololu Akinlolu on February 19 2023 used or threatened unlawful violence towards another and their conduct taken together was such as would cause a person of reasonable firmness present at the scene to fear for his personal safety.’
Brown, who took deep breaths before the delayed hearing began, then entered a guilty plea alongside Akinlolu.
Judge Tony Baumgartner bailed Brown and Akinlolu to be sentenced on October 26 at Southwark Crown Court.
The judge set bail conditions that allow Brown to leave the UK but he must return on October 25 – the day before his sentencing.
Members of Brown’s entourage sat on the front row of the public gallery as the verdicts were entered.
The singer, wearing a tan suit, gold-rimmed sunglasses and a St Louis Cardinals baseball hat, was flanked by security guards as he arrived at court, where a small group of fans had gathered.
Fans played the artist’s music and shouted his name, with one saying ‘I love you Chris’, as others held signs.
At earlier hearings, Brown was ordered to pay a £5million 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.
In 2009, Brown admitted at Los Angeles Superior Court to one count of felony assault relating to an incident that occurred hours before he and Rhianna were due to perform at the Grammy Awards.
