Newly released CCTV footage shows Chris Brown repeatedly swinging a glass tequila bottle at music producer Abraham Diaw, striking him twice in the head during a 2023 London nightclub confrontation. The footage was shown at Southwark Crown Court during the singer's sentencing on 26 October 2026, when Brown received an eight-month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, after pleading guilty to affray.
The incident took place inside Tape nightclub in Mayfair in the early hours of 19 February 2023. Prosecutors told the court that Brown struck Diaw four times with a heavy, square-shaped bottle, with two blows connecting with his head during a confrontation lasting around 20 seconds.
CCTV footage shows Chris Brown attacking a man with a bottle of tequila.
— Sky News (@SkyNews) October 26, 2026
He has been given a suspended sentence after pleading guilty to affray over the confrontation at Tape nightclub in February 2023. pic.twitter.com/TAaTA8vDNw
CCTV Shows Brown Striking Producer With Bottle
The footage shows Brown approaching Diaw with the bottle before repeatedly swinging it at him. Brown was also seen throwing punches during the confrontation, according to evidence presented in court.
Brown's vocal coach and co-defendant, Omololu Akinlolu, also became involved in the fight. Prosecutors told the court that Akinlolu grabbed Diaw in a bear hug before the producer fell to the ground.
Diaw required hospital treatment after the incident and was discharged with a head injury and a superficial knee injury, according to evidence heard in court. An MRI scan reportedly revealed a high-grade injury to a ligament on the inside of his left knee, although the precise connection between the injury and the confrontation should not be assumed without supporting evidence.
The footage was shown during the sentencing proceedings, providing a visual record of the confrontation that led to criminal proceedings against both men. The evidence formed part of the case that ultimately resulted in their guilty pleas to affray.
Avoiding Immediate Jail Time
Brown was sentenced at Southwark Crown Court on 26 October after pleading guilty to affray in July 2026. Under English law, affray involves using or threatening unlawful violence in circumstances that would cause a person of reasonable firmness present at the scene to fear for their safety.
Judge Tony Baumgartner handed Brown an eight-month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months. The singer will not immediately serve time in prison, although the court can activate the suspended sentence if the relevant legal requirements are met.
The judge described repeatedly striking someone on the head with a glass bottle as 'plainly dangerous', warning that the blows could have caused significantly more serious injuries. The court also considered mitigating factors, including Brown's guilty plea, employment, charitable work and previous record.
Akinlolu, 40, received a four-month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, for his role in the affray. Both men were ordered to pay £1,500 in costs each, according to reports of the sentencing hearing.
Brown and Akinlolu had faced more serious allegations, including assault, attempted grievous bodily harm and possession of an offensive weapon. Those charges were dropped after both men pleaded guilty to affray, avoiding a trial on the more serious allegations.
Brown Arrested Two Years After the Fight
Brown was arrested in May 2025 at the Lowry Hotel in Manchester while visiting the UK for concert dates. He was subsequently released on bail subject to a £5 million security requirement as the case progressed through the courts.
The arrest came more than two years after the nightclub confrontation in February 2023. The case reached sentencing in October 2026, bringing the criminal proceedings over the incident to the sentencing stage.
The details of Chris Brown’s 2009 attack on Rihanna is nothing short of disturbing. When Rihanna called out Chris for being unfaithful, an argument ensued that quickly turned violent.
— Morbid Facts (@Unexplained) December 4, 2025
Chris pulled over and tried to force Rihanna out of the car, but her seatbelt prevented it. He… pic.twitter.com/ysitu0mxG8
Brown's Previous Conviction
Brown has faced other legal controversies during his career, including his 2009 guilty plea to assaulting his then-girlfriend, singer Rihanna. That case resulted in five years' probation and six months of community labour, alongside other court-ordered requirements.
Brown's latest conviction adds another serious legal chapter to a career already marked by high-profile controversies. Although he avoided immediate imprisonment, the eight-month sentence remains suspended for 12 months, with the possibility of jail if the legal conditions for activating it are met.
