Chris Brown pleads guilty in London bottle attack case, avoiding trial

Grammy-winning R&B star Chris Brown on Friday reversed his not guilty plea in the criminal case in which he is accused of attacking a music producer with a bottle of tequila at a London nightclub in 2023.

The 37-year-old singer pleaded guilty to his involvement in the incident as he entered a change of plea during a hearing at London’s Southwark Crown Court, the Associated Press reported.

Brown was arrested in May 2025 on on suspicion of causing “grievous bodily harm,” a count that officials said at the time originated from a 2023 “incident at a venue in Hanover Square.” During his arraignment a month later, Brown pleaded not guilty to one count of attempting to unlawfully and maliciously cause grievous bodily harm with intent. Brown also faced charges of assault causing actual bodily harm and having an offensive weapon, a bottle.

A representative for Chris Brown did not immediately respond on Friday to a request for comment.

Prosecutors, in return for Brown’s guilty plea, dropped the charges of assault, attempting to cause grievous bodily harm and the offensive weapon charge. Brown’s friend Omololu Akinlolu ((who performs as HoodyBaby) was charged last year with causing grievous bodily harm for his alleged involvement in the 2023 incident. He also pleaded guilty on Friday.

Brown and Akinlolu were set to stand trial in October.

Prosecutors accused Brown of attacking music producer Amadou “Abe” Diaw with a bottle of tequila at nightclub Tape London in February 2023. The accusations against Brown echoed allegations from a civil lawsuit Diaw filed in Los Angeles against the musician in October 2023. He sued Brown for assault and battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress, claiming in court documents that the singer “brutally assaulted” him by “beating him over the head” and that he “continued to ruthlessly stomp” on him as he lay unconscious on the nightclub floor after the bottle attack.

“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,” Claire Campbell, a senior prosecutor with the Crown Prosecution Service, said during Friday’s hearing, according to AP.

Brown is currently performing with Usher on their joint North American stadium tour. The singers will take over Inglewood’s SoFi Stadium on Sept. 25 and 26.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.