US singer Chris Brown has pleaded not guilty in court to two charges relating to an alleged bottle attack at a London nightclub two years ago.
The 36-year-old star is accused of causing actual bodily harm to a music producer during an incident that prosecutors have described as “unprovoked”.
He is also charged with having an offensive weapon – namely a tequila bottle.
The two charges were added last month to a more serious count of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm (GBH), to which Mr Brown has already pleaded not guilty. The singer will face trial in October 2026.
He wore a brown suit with dark rimmed glasses to the latest plea hearing at Southwark Crown Court in London on Friday. About 20 fans turned up to support him in the public gallery.
Prosecutors have previously said the alleged victim, Abraham Diaw, was standing at the bar of Soho’s Tape nightclub on 19 February 2023 when Mr Brown struck him several times with a bottle.
The singer was arrested at the five-star Lowry hotel in Salford, Greater Manchester, last month, after returning to the UK to prepare for a European tour.
He was held in custody for almost a week, before being released after agreeing to pay a £5m security fee to the court.
A security fee is a financial guarantee to ensure a defendant returns to court. Mr Brown could be asked to forfeit the money if he breaches bail conditions.
Under those conditions, Mr Brown must live at an address in the UK while awaiting trial, and was ordered to surrender his passport to police.
However, a plan was put in place allowing him to honour his Breezy Bowl XX world tour dates by surrendering his passport but getting it back when he needs to travel to the gigs.
The first date took place in Amsterdam on 8 June, before a string of stadium and arena shows across the UK and Europe.
Mr Brown is one of the biggest stars in US R&B, with two Grammy Awards, and 19 top 10 singles in the UK – including hits like Turn Up The Music, Freaky Friday, With You and Don’t Wake Me Up.
His co-defendant Omololu Akinlolu, a 39-year-old American who performs under the name HoodyBaby, also entered a not guilty plea last month to the charge of attempted grievous bodily harm.
