American R&B singer Chris Brown has been formally charged with grievous bodily harm with intent following his arrest in Manchester during the early hours of Thursday morning. The charges stem from a February 2023 incident at Tape nightclub in Mayfair, where Brown allegedly attacked music producer Abe Diaw with a bottle.
The 36-year-old Grammy-winning artist was detained at The Lowry Hotel shortly after 2am on 15 May, following coordination between the Metropolitan %%UKNIP_ANCHOR_0%% and Greater Manchester authorities. He remains in custody.
CPS Confirms Prosecution
Adele Kelly, Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor for CPS %%UKNIP_ANCHOR_1%%, confirmed the charge:
"We have authorised the Metropolitan Police to charge Chris Brown with one count of grievous bodily harm, contrary to section 18 of the %%UKNIP_ANCHOR_2%% Against the Person Act 1861. The alleged incident occurred in %%UKNIP_ANCHOR_3%% on 19 February 2023."
Brown is expected to %%UKNIP_ANCHOR_4%% on Friday, 16 May 2025.
What Happened?
Producer %%UKNIP_ANCHOR_5%% alleges that Brown struck him over the head with a bottle, then punched and kicked him while he was on the ground during a Dirty Martini night at Tape nightclub. The reported attack left Diaw hospitalized and later prompted a $16 %%UKNIP_ANCHOR_6%% (£12 million) civil claim for damages.
According to police, the %%UKNIP_ANCHOR_7%% was pre-planned after Brown arrived in the UK on a private jet on Wednesday, reportedly to rehearse for his UK tour, set to begin on 15 June in Manchester.
Tour Uncertainty
The singer's “Breezy Bowl XX Tour”, a 20th-anniversary celebration of his career, is now under scrutiny. Scheduled to begin on 8 June in Amsterdam, the UK leg includes major stadium venues:
- Jun 15–16: Co-Op %%UKNIP_ANCHOR_8%%, Manchester
- Jun 19: Principality Stadium, %%UKNIP_ANCHOR_9%%
- Jun 21: %%UKNIP_ANCHOR_10%%, London
- Jun 26: Villa %%UKNIP_ANCHOR_11%% Stadium, Birmingham
- Jul 1: Hampden Park, %%UKNIP_ANCHOR_12%%
Tour %%UKNIP_ANCHOR_13%% Bryson Tiller is expected to join Brown across the European and UK dates.
Public and Legal Caution
The Crown Prosecution Service has urged the %%UKNIP_ANCHOR_14%% and media to avoid prejudicing the case:
"It is extremely important that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information %%UKNIP_ANCHOR_15%% which could in any way prejudice these proceedings."
The %%UKNIP_ANCHOR_16%% Central West Area Command continues to lead the investigation.
Background
Chris Brown, who first rose to fame in 2005, has a %%UKNIP_ANCHOR_17%% of legal trouble, most notably the 2009 assault of singer Rihanna. This latest charge places %%UKNIP_ANCHOR_18%% on the artist ahead of a major international tour.
