Chris Brown Remanded in Custody Following Alleged Club Attack

R&B artist Chris Brown has been remanded in custody until his next court appearance on June 13th, following a hearing at Manchester Magistrates' Court today. The 36-year-old singer was charged with grievous bodily harm (GBH) in connection with an alleged assault at a London nightclub in February 2023.
The charges relate to an incident at Tape nightclub in Mayfair, central London, where Brown is accused of attacking music producer Abraham "Abe" Diaw. Diaw claims Brown struck him multiple times with a bottle, believed to be a Don Julio 1942 tequila bottle, before continuing the assault with punches and kicks, leaving him unconscious. Diaw has also filed a significant civil lawsuit against Brown regarding the alleged attack.
Brown was arrested at a hotel in Manchester on Thursday, May 15th, after arriving in the UK ahead of his "Breezy Bowl XX" tour. During today's court hearing, prosecutor Hannah Nicholls described the alleged assault as an "unprovoked attack with a weapon in a nightclub full of people," stating that Brown struck Diaw with a bottle multiple times. She also informed the court that the alleged attack was captured on CCTV footage.
District Judge Joanne Hirst deemed the alleged offense too serious to be dealt with at the Magistrates' Court and has sent the case to London's Southwark Crown Court for a plea and trial preparation hearing on June 13th. Brown's legal team applied for bail, but this was denied by Judge Hirst, who cited the seriousness of the charge.
Wearing a black t-shirt and sweatpants with bleached blonde hair, Brown confirmed his name, Christopher Maurice Brown, and date of birth during the brief hearing. When asked for his address, he stated The Lowry Hotel in Manchester, where he was arrested. He did not enter a plea.
The decision to remand Brown in custody until June 13th casts doubt over the initial dates of his upcoming tour, which was scheduled to begin in the Netherlands on June 8th, followed by a performance in Germany on June 11th, before commencing his UK leg.
This is the latest in a series of legal issues for Chris Brown, who has a history of violent incidents, most notably his 2009 conviction for assaulting his then-girlfriend Rihanna. This past record was likely a factor in the court's decision to deny bail.
The Metropolitan Police, who investigated the alleged 2023 assault, traveled to Manchester to arrest Brown. The Crown Prosecution Service has reminded all parties that criminal proceedings are active and that Brown has the right to a fair trial.
Fans gathered outside the Manchester Magistrates' Court, with some expressing their support for the singer. However, the serious nature of the GBH charge and the court's decision to remand him in custody indicate the gravity with which the allegations are being treated by the UK legal system. The next hearing on June 13th at Southwark Crown Court will be a significant step in determining the course of this case.
Source@BBC