Brown Appears in Manchester Court Today, Charged with Causing Grievous Bodily Harm

International R&B superstar, Chris Brown has been formally charged with grievous bodily harm with intent and is scheduled to appear in Manchester Magistrates’ Court today, May 16, 2025, in connection with a violent assault that allegedly took place at a London nightclub in 2023.

The 36-year-old American singer was arrested in the early hours of Thursday at The Lowry Hotel in Manchester, just days before kicking off his much-anticipated “Breezy Bowl XX Tour.”

His arrest follows an intensive investigation by the Metropolitan Police into an incident that occurred on February 19, 2023, at Tape nightclub in Mayfair, London.

According to court documents and multiple reports, music producer Abe Diaw accuses Brown of violently attacking him with a Don Julio 1942 tequila bottle, delivering multiple blows to his head before allegedly continuing the assault with punches and kicks.

Diaw claims the attack left him with serious injuries requiring hospital treatment and ongoing medical care.

Diaw has also filed a civil lawsuit seeking £12 million (approximately $16 million) in damages for what he describes as “life-altering trauma and physical disfigurement.”

The charge brought against Brown falls under Section 18 of the UK’s Offences Against the Person Act 1861 — a serious indictable offense carrying a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) emphasized the importance of a fair trial, urging the public and media to refrain from speculative commentary.

“Criminal proceedings against this defendant are active, and he has the right to a fair trial,” said Adele Kelly, Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor for CPS London North.

Brown’s UK tour, scheduled to begin June 8 in Amsterdam with multiple performances across Manchester, London, Birmingham, Glasgow, and Cardiff, now hangs in the balance.

No official word has yet come from his management regarding the status of the concerts.

This is not Brown’s first brush with the law. The Grammy-winning artist has a troubled legal history, including a widely publicized 2009 felony assault conviction for attacking pop star Rihanna, and a restraining order in 2017 filed by ex-girlfriend Karrueche Tran, citing violent threats.

As of this morning, Brown remains in custody and is expected to be formally arraigned before the Manchester court later today.