After pleading guilty to affray, Chris Brown gets suspended prison sentence for 2023 nightclub assault

Sentence imposed in London

Brown appeared Monday at Southwark Crown Court, where Judge Tony Baumgartner sentenced him after his guilty plea to affray, a public order offense. The confrontation happened at a Mayfair nightclub in 2023.

Akinlolu, Brown’s vocal coach, who performs as Hoody Baby, was sentenced alongside him. The judge suspended both prison sentences for 12 months, meaning they could be imprisoned if they commit another crime during that period.

Baumgartner said the sentences were the shortest custodial terms he considered consistent with the seriousness of the offenses. He said the law required suspension unless an offender was excluded or exceptional circumstances justified immediate imprisonment.

Other charges were dropped

Brown and Akinlolu had initially been due to face trial on assault and grievous bodily harm charges. Those charges were later dropped. Brown also faced a charge related to possessing an offensive weapon, described in reports as a tequila bottle. That charge was dropped as well.

Judge weighs background

The judge said Brown was not entitled to special treatment. He took the musician’s charitable work and his role as a father of four into account. Baumgartner also considered Brown’s earlier convictions involving violence, describing them as relevant but historic. Brown has previously served time in a Los Angeles prison for violating probation after pleading guilty to felony assault of Rihanna, his then-girlfriend.