Moment Chris Brown attacks music producer with tequila bottle in Mayfair nightclub – as singer avoids jail

This is the moment Chris Brown attacked a music producer with a heavy tequila bottle at a packed London nightclub.

The US singer, 37, can be seen striking his victim in a ‘plainly dangerous’ attack at around 3am on the dancefloor of Tape private members’ club in Mayfair. 

Abraham Diaw was then pursued by Brown and his friend and vocal coach Omololu Akinlolu, 40, in the 20 second attack in February 2023.

Brown was today sentenced at Southwark Crown Court to eight months’ imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, after pleading guilty to affray earlier this year.

Akinlolu was sentenced to four months’ imprisonment, suspended for 12 months. Both men were ordered to pay £1,500 costs.

The pair stood up and faced one another and clasped hands in front of a packed public gallery after the judge concluded his sentencing remarks before walking out of the glass dock.

There were loud cheers outside the court as Brown left the building, as he appeared to stop to sign an autograph and blow a kiss to a fan.

Sentencing today, judge Tony Baumgartner told Brown his successful music career did not entitle him to any ‘special treatment’.

He said: ‘The repeated use of a glass bottle in that way, especially aimed at the head, was plainly dangerous, it carried the risk of delivering a more serious injury than was ultimately sustained.’

But he did take into account Brown’s family responsibilities and evidence concerning his charitable activities and contributions.

An excited public gallery was packed for the hearing this morning as prosecutors played a series of CCTV clips capturing the attack from several angles.

Coloured circles were used to help the court follow the three men through the crowded venue, with Brown marked in green, Akinlolu in pink and Mr Diaw in blue.

Heidi Stonecliffe KC, prosecuting, said Mr Diaw had been standing with his back to the bar and facing the VIP lounge when Brown began moving towards him through the crowd, with Akinlolu following behind.

Brown could be seen raising his right hand above his head while holding what the prosecutor described as a ‘heavy, square-shaped tequila bottle’.

He then brought the bottle down twice on the left side of Mr Diaw’s head.

Brown grabbed the producer before raising the bottle for a third time and striking him on the shoulder as Mr Diaw attempted to turn away.

The singer then lifted the bottle for a fourth time and hit him again, the court heard.

Akinlolu was seen throwing punches alongside Brown as Mr Diaw received blows from both fists and the bottle.

The initial violence began on the main floor of the nightclub before Mr Diaw was pursued into a corridor leading towards a recording studio and the exit.

One CCTV clip showed Brown being physically pulled away while Mr Diaw was taken through the door leading into the studio.

But the court heard Brown could still see the producer and tried to push past the person restraining him to get back towards Mr Diaw.

His mouth could then be seen moving as he appeared to shout or say something in the producer’s direction.

Akinlolu then grabbed Mr Diaw and continued throwing punches before putting him in a ‘bear hug’, causing him to fall to the ground.

Other people became involved as the producer lay on the floor.

The footage showed a foot kicking out towards Mr Diaw’s stomach, which prosecutors asserted belonged to Akinlolu.

He was then kicked twice more before a third kick was aimed at his left leg, which was bent at an angle beneath him.

The entire burst of violence lasted between 17 and 20 seconds.

Brown had to be physically pulled away from the confrontation and was filmed attempting to get past the person holding him back.

The violence unfolded in front of members of the public inside the crowded nightclub in Hanover Square on February 19, 2023.

Police have previously said CCTV showed Mr Diaw being struck with the bottle, punched in the back of the head, chased, pushed to the floor and kicked.

Mr Diaw was taken to St Mary’s Hospital suffering from head trauma, tenderness to his abdomen and pain and restricted movement in his left knee.

He underwent CT scans and X-rays but no fracture, break or acute traumatic injury was detected.

He was discharged that evening with painkillers and diagnoses of a head injury and a superficial injury to his knee.

The court heard that Mr Diaw later sought further treatment while in Italy because his knee remained painful and was hot to the touch.

The court was told Mr Diaw later withdrew his support for the prosecution after the two defendants had been outside Britain for some time.

Brown and Akinlolu left the country following the incident because of tour commitments.

Detectives said both men were subsequently offered repeated opportunities to attend voluntary interviews under caution but failed to do so, after which they were circulated as wanted.

The Grammy-winner eventually returned to Britain more than two years later ahead of his Breezy Bowl XX world tour.

He was arrested by Metropolitan Police detectives at the five-star Lowry hotel in Salford in the early hours of May 15, 2025, after arriving in Manchester by private jet.

Akinlolu was also arrested in Manchester.

Brown was initially refused bail and remanded in custody. He spent six days at Forest Bank prison before a judge granted him bail on condition that £5million was lodged with the court as security.

His bail conditions allowed him to continue touring Europe and North America, although his passport had to be controlled under arrangements approved by the court.

After leaving prison, Brown posted an all-capitals message on Instagram reading: ‘FROM THE CAGE TO THE STAGE!!! BREEZYBOWL.’

Brown and Akinlolu denied attempted grievous bodily harm and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Brown also denied possessing an offensive weapon, namely the bottle.

But on July 24 this year, prosecutor Ms Stonecliffe applied for an additional affray charge to be placed on the indictment after an agreement was reached between the parties.

Both men pleaded guilty to that offence and prosecutors said the remaining charges would not proceed.

Judge Baumgartner warned them at the time that ‘all options’ would remain open to the sentencing court. Affray carries a maximum sentence of three years’ imprisonment.

Defending Brown, Sallie Bennett-Jenkins KC accepted that the CCTV depicted an ‘ugly and unattractive incident’.

She said: ‘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 were present and for which Mr Brown offers a profound apology to all those present.’

Ms Bennett-Jenkins said Brown had accepted responsibility through his guilty plea and was grateful for the opportunity to do so.

Brown’s lawyers described the singer as a ‘dedicated, loyal and loving father’ to four children, whose ages range from six months to 12 years.

The court heard that the mothers of his children had submitted references setting out his positive qualities and describing the emotional and financial support he provided.

Brown was described as being ‘utterly dedicated’ to a recording career he had built through years of work and as someone who frequently undertook punishing schedules for his fans.

His barrister argued that curtailing his ability to work could also threaten the livelihoods of 260 people employed in different roles connected with his professional activities.

The court heard that Brown has previous convictions for two violent offences, in 2009 and 2013.

His defence described the earlier matters as incidents committed when he was young which were ‘short and isolated’ and deeply regretted.

In 2009, Brown pleaded guilty to felony assault after attacking his then-girlfriend Rihanna in Los Angeles shortly before the Grammy Awards.

He was sentenced to five years’ probation, 180 days of community labour and a year-long domestic violence counselling programme.

He was also convicted of misdemeanour assault following a confrontation outside the W Hotel in Washington DC in October 2013.

According to the police account at the time, Brown made a homophobic remark before punching a man who had attempted to join a photograph with the singer.

Brown rose to fame as a teenager in 2005 and is known for hits including Run It!, Loyal and Under the Influence.

He has won two Grammy Awards for best R&B album: the first for F.A.M.E. at the 2012 ceremony and the second for 11:11 (Deluxe) in 2025.