Chris Brown pleads guilty to affray in London nightclub case

Chris Brown pleaded guilty to affray in a London court on Friday over a 2023 incident at a nightclub.

Brown and his co-defendant, rapper and vocal coach Omololu Akinlolu, entered the plea during a short hearing at Southwark Crown Court. Prosecutors dropped separate charges of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and possession of an offensive weapon.

Brown was released on bail and is due to be sentenced on Oct. 26. The affray charge carries a maximum sentence of three years in prison.

The case stems from allegations that Brown attacked music producer Abe Diaw at Tape London nightclub in February 2023. Prosecutors alleged Brown struck Diaw with a tequila bottle during the incident. Brown was arrested in May 2025 while staying at a hotel in Manchester and was later granted bail, allowing him to continue his international tour.

Diaw also filed a civil lawsuit in 2023, alleging Brown caused serious injuries by hitting him with a bottle and kicking him after he fell to the ground. The lawsuit also accuses Brown of spreading false rumors that damaged Diaw's reputation.

Brown has faced several legal issues over the years. In 2009, he pleaded guilty to felony assault for attacking then-girlfriend Rihanna. More recently, he was ordered to pay $13 million to a former housekeeper who was attacked by one of his dogs in 2020.