Chris Brown was handed an eight-month suspended prison sentence Monday for his involvement in a 2023 nightclub altercation in London. The Grammy-winning singer avoided jail time after pleading guilty to affray, a charge related to the use or threat of violence causing others to fear for their safety.

The incident took place in February 2023 at Tape, a private club located in London’s Mayfair district. Video evidence presented at Southwark Crown Court showed Brown striking music producer Abraham Diaw twice in the head with a tequila bottle. Brown and Diaw, who were formerly friends, required intervention from bystanders to be separated during the confrontation.

Judge Tony Baumgartner noted the dangerous nature of using a glass bottle in an assault, particularly when aimed at the head, and emphasized the risk of serious injury. Nevertheless, the judge decided against a custodial sentence, citing Brown’s immediate guilty plea and mitigating factors such as steady employment and involvement in charity work. While acknowledging Brown’s prior convictions, the judge highlighted that he had maintained a clean record in recent years.

Brown faced a maximum sentence of three years. Prosecutors had charged him with affray as well as more serious offenses, including assault and attempting to cause grievous bodily harm, but these charges were dropped in exchange for his guilty plea. The bottle used in the attack was also identified as an offensive weapon in the initial charges.

Omololu Akinlolu, a friend and vocal coach of Brown, also pleaded guilty to affray in connection with the altercation. Akinlolu received a four-month suspended sentence.

The victim, Abraham Diaw, sustained head and knee injuries and was discharged from the hospital shortly after the incident, according to prosecutor Heidi Stonecliffe.

Brown has a history of legal issues dating back to a 2009 felony conviction for assaulting then-girlfriend Rihanna. Since then, he has faced several arrests and investigations in various U.S. states and abroad, though many did not result in charges or were dismissed. Notably, in 2019, Brown was questioned in Paris on suspicion of rape but was released without charge.

Outside the courthouse, Brown was met with support from fans who traveled from countries including Italy and the Netherlands. He appeared wearing a black mask, dark glasses, a black leather jacket, and a light-colored turtleneck, with his bleached hair mostly concealed under a black ball cap.