Photo Credit:JILL Lawless and Brian Melley
Chris Brown has pleaded guilty to a charge of affray in connection with an incident that allegedly took place at a London nightclub in 2023, bringing a significant development in the long running legal case. The 37-year-old singer entered his guilty plea during a brief hearing at Southwark
Crown Court in London on Friday. The proceedings lasted less than five minutes. His co-defendant, rapper HoodyBaby, whose real name is Omololu Akinlolu, also admitted guilt to the same charge.
The case stems from an alleged altercation at Tape nightclub in London's Mayfair district on February 19, 2023. Prosecutors claim Brown assaulted Abraham Diaw, a former friend, during the incident. According to court proceedings, the confrontation was
captured by the venue's surveillance cameras. Authorities alleged that Diaw was struck over the head with a bottle of Don Julio 1942 tequila during the altercation. Diaw also made similar claims in a civil complaint he filed later in 2023.
Brown and Akinlolu had previously pleaded not guilty to charges of assault causing actual bodily harm and grievous bodily harm. Brown also faced a separate charge of possessing an offensive weapon. However, prosecutors have since dropped those charges, leaving the affray charge as the remaining criminal offence. Following the hearing, Brown was greeted by a crowd of supporters outside the courthouse. Fans cheered his nickname, "Breezy," as he stopped to sign autographs before leaving the area.
The Grammy-winning artist was first arrested by officers from London's Metropolitan Police in May 2025 at a hotel in Manchester. He was detained on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm before later being released on £5 million bail. The bail conditions allowed him to continue the European leg of his Breezy Bowl XX tour, provided he surrendered his passport upon entering each country. In a separate civil case filed in November 023, Diaw accused Brown of repeatedly striking him with what he described as crushing blows. However, Diaw later requested
that the lawsuit be dismissed with prejudice, preventing it from being filed again.
Despite the dismissal of the civil action, Brown will still face sentencing in the United Kingdom for the affray conviction. The court has scheduled his sentencing hearing for October 26.
The guilty plea comes shortly after Brown was ordered to pay nearly $13 million in damages to his former housekeeper, Maria Avila, who suffered severe injuries after being attacked by his security dog, Hades, at his California home in 2020. A Los Angeles court found Brown and his company negligent, ruling that Avila had been permanently disfigured by the attack.
