American R&B singer Chris Brown has pleaded not guilty to two additional charges stemming from an alleged bottle attack at a London nightclub in 2023.
The 36-year-old appeared at Southwark Crown Court in London on Friday, where he denied accusations of causing actual bodily harm and possessing an offensive weapon, identified as a tequila bottle, during the incident.
These charges were added to a previously filed count of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm (GBH), to which Brown had already pleaded not guilty.
Prosecutors alleged that the assault was “unprovoked” and that Brown struck music producer Abraham Diaw multiple times with a bottle while the victim was standing at the bar of Tape, a nightclub in Soho, on 19 February 2023.
Dressed in a brown suit and dark-rimmed glasses, Brown briefly appeared at Friday’s hearing, waving to supporters and placing a hand over his chest.
Around 20 fans were present in the public gallery, with a few shouting, “We love you, Chris,” as he exited the courtroom.
LEADERSHIP recalls that Brown was arrested in May 2025 at the Lowry Hotel in Salford, Greater Manchester, shortly after returning to the UK in preparation for the European leg of his world tour.
He spent nearly a week in custody before securing release by paying a £5 million security fee, a court-imposed financial guarantee to ensure his compliance with bail conditions.
As part of his bail terms Brown must reside at a UK address and he has surrendered his passport to the authorities.
However, special arrangements allow him to retrieve the passport temporarily to travel for his Breezy Bowl XX tour performances.
The tour’s European leg kicked off in Amsterdam on 8 June and concluded in Paris last weekend. Brown is now set to begin the North American leg later this month.
Brown’s co-defendant, 39-year-old American performer Omololu Akinlolu, known professionally as HoodyBaby, also pleaded not guilty to charges of actual bodily harm and attempted GBH.
Chris Brown, a two-time Grammy Award winner, remains one of the most prominent figures in American R&B, boasting 19 UK Top 10 singles, including ‘Turn Up The Music,’ ‘With You,’ ‘Freaky Friday’, and ‘Don’t Wake Me Up.’
The trial is scheduled to begin in October 2026.
