US singer Chris Brown has arrived at court for a hearing at which he is expected to enter his plea, after being charged over an alleged bottle attack at a London nightclub two years ago. The 36-year-old is accused of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm to music producer Abraham Diaw during an incident prosecutors have described as "unprovoked". Two more charges were added on Friday morning: Assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and having an offensive weapon. Both relate to the same incident. The star appeared at Southwark Crown Court in London hours after playing to thousands of fans at Cardiff's Principality Stadium. Wearing an ocean blue suit and black-rimmed glasses, the musician was silent as he walked past a large group of photographers. Five or six fans were outside the court to offer their support. Brown was arrested at the five-star Lowry hotel in Salford, Greater Manchester, last month, after arriving in the UK to prepare for a string of European tour dates. 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, and the UK leg kicked off last weekend. On the first night in Manchester on Sunday, he thanked fans "for coming and supporting me". "And thank you to the jail," he joked, referring to his spell in custody. "It was really nice." 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. Last week, he won the prize for best male R&B/pop artist at the BET Awards in Los Angeles. A former partner of pop star Rihanna, his latest tour celebrates the 20th anniversary of his self-titled debut album. Outlining the case against him last month, prosecutors said the alleged victim, Abraham Diaw, was standing at the bar of Soho's Tape nightclub on 19 February 2023 when Mr Brown launched an "unprovoked attack" in which the complainant was struck several times with a bottle. She said: "The defendant then pursued him to a separate area of the nightclub where the victim was punched and kicked repeatedly by him and another." Omolulu Akinlolu, a 38-year-old American who performs under the name HoodyBaby, was charged alongside Brown and will appear with him at court on Friday. He is facing the same first two counts as Brown but not the third (having an offensive weapon).
Chris Brown arrives in court to answer assault charges
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"Chris Brown Faces Assault Charges in London Court Hearing"
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TruthLens AI Summary
US singer Chris Brown appeared in Southwark Crown Court in London to respond to charges stemming from an alleged assault that occurred at a nightclub two years ago. The 36-year-old musician faces serious allegations, including the attempted grievous bodily harm of music producer Abraham Diaw, in what prosecutors have characterized as an "unprovoked attack." The incident reportedly took place on February 19, 2023, at Soho's Tape nightclub, where Brown is accused of striking Diaw multiple times with a bottle. On the day of the court appearance, Brown was dressed in an ocean blue suit and black-rimmed glasses, maintaining a silent demeanor as he navigated past a throng of photographers. Supporters, including a handful of fans, gathered outside the courtroom to show their allegiance to the artist, who has enjoyed significant success in the music industry, including two Grammy Awards and numerous hit singles in the UK.
In addition to the initial charge, two further charges were brought against Brown just hours before the hearing: assault occasioning actual bodily harm and possession of an offensive weapon, both related to the same nightclub incident. Brown was previously arrested at a luxury hotel in Greater Manchester last month and held in custody for nearly a week before being released after posting a £5 million security fee to ensure his return to court. This financial guarantee requires him to remain in the UK until the trial and surrender his passport to the authorities. However, an arrangement was made allowing him to retrieve his passport for his ongoing Breezy Bowl XX world tour, which kicked off recently. Alongside him in court was Omolulu Akinlolu, known as HoodyBaby, who faces similar charges but without the weapon possession count. As Brown continues to navigate the legal challenges, he remains a prominent figure in the R&B scene, with his recent tour celebrating the 20th anniversary of his debut album.
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