R&B artist Chris Brown has been remanded in UK prison custody following an assault charge tied to an alleged 2023 nightclub incident.
The decision, made on Friday by a Manchester court, means the singer will remain detained until at least June 13.
The development casts uncertainty over Brown’s upcoming European tour dates, including sold-out concerts in the Netherlands on June 8 and in Germany on June 11.
UK authorities confirmed that the 36-year-old performer was taken into custody in the early hours of Thursday at a hotel in Manchester. He was later charged in relation to an incident that allegedly took place at a London venue last year.
Brown appeared before Manchester Magistrates’ Court on Friday, where District Judge Joanne Hirst ordered that he be kept in custody until a plea and trial preparation hearing scheduled for June 13 at Southwark Crown Court in London.
Coincidentally, the hearing date overlaps with a show he is scheduled to perform in Germany. The singer also has a string of performances lined up across the UK and Europe in the coming weeks, with plans to head to the United States afterward.
Known for early hits like “Kiss Kiss,” Brown has enjoyed a successful music career, selling millions of records globally. However, his legal history is extensive, including a felony conviction for physically assaulting pop star Rihanna in 2009. Since then, he has faced various accusations involving sexual and domestic violence.
Arrest at Manchester Hotel
According to police, Brown was formally charged with “grievous bodily harm with intent” following “an assault, which reportedly took place at a venue in Hanover Square in London” on February 19, 2023.
British media outlet The Sun reported that the alleged victim is music producer Abe Diaw, who was said to have been attacked with a bottle inside Tape nightclub, located in London’s upscale Mayfair area. At the time, Brown was in the UK for a music tour.
Naijaonpoint gathered that Brown flew into Manchester on a private jet Wednesday afternoon and was arrested shortly afterward at the Lowry Hotel, a five-star establishment in the city.
The two-time Grammy Award winner initially rose to prominence with his soulful voice and charisma, but his image has been marred by numerous controversies.
In addition to his 2009 conviction involving Rihanna, Brown was part of a 2012 altercation in a New York nightclub with associates of rapper Drake, during which NBA star Tony Parker sustained an eye injury from a glass bottle.
He also pleaded guilty to assaulting a fan in Washington in 2014. In 2016, he faced arrest once more after a woman accused him of threatening her with a firearm.