Chris Brown has been ordered to remain in custody until mid-June following a court appearance in the United Kingdom related to a nightclub incident that took place last year.
Brown’s upcoming world tour is now also in jeopardy after a judge in the U.K. ruled Friday that he must remain in custody while facing accusations that he assaulted a music producer with a bottle at a London nightclub in 2023. The artist is facing a charge of inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent, stemming from an investigation conducted by London’s Metropolitan Police. If convicted, Brown could face a prison sentence ranging from two to 16 years.
The 36-year-old artist appeared in Manchester Magistrates’ Court to respond to the charges, and was denied bail. Judge Joanne Hirst denied the request for bail after prosecutor Hannah Nicholls described the incident as “extremely serious.” Nicholls told the court that during a visit to the U.K. in February 2023, Brown allegedly launched an unprovoked assault on music producer Abe Diaw at the Tape nightclub, located in London’s upscale Mayfair district. According to her statement, Brown struck Diaw multiple times with a bottle before chasing him and continuing the attack by punching and kicking him. The entire incident was reportedly captured on the club’s security cameras, with numerous witnesses present.
Brown’s lawyer, Grace Forbes, argued that the artist posed no flight risk and urged the court to grant him release; however the judge ordered Brown remain in custody until his next court date on June 13 in London—which coincides with a scheduled performance in Frankfurt, Germany, which is part of the early leg of his international tour. The judge also ruled that the case would proceed to Southwark Crown Court in London.
Brown’s international tour was set to begin June 8 in Amsterdam, featuring Jhene Aiko, Summer Walker, and Bryson Tiller. The North American leg is scheduled to kick off in July.
Editorial credit: Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com
