US singer Chris Brown has officially pleaded not guilty to an assault charge stemming from an alleged bottle attack at a London nightclub nearly two years ago. The Grammy-winning artist appeared at Southwark Crown Court in London on **Friday, June 20, 2025**, where he denied the charge of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent.
The charges relate to an incident that reportedly occurred at the Tape nightclub in the swanky Mayfair neighborhood on **February 19, 2023**. Prosecutors allege that Brown, alongside his friend and fellow musician Omololu Akinlolu (known as “Hoody Baby”), launched an unprovoked attack on music producer Abe Diaw. It is claimed that Brown struck Diaw several times with a bottle before punching and kicking him, an altercation reportedly captured on surveillance cameras within the club. Akinlolu also pleaded not guilty to the same charge.
Brown, 36, was arrested in Manchester in May 2025 upon his return to the UK for his “Breezy Bowl XX” world tour. He was held in custody for nearly a week before being released on a substantial **£5 million ($6.75 million) bail**, which included conditions such as surrendering his passport when not traveling for tour dates and residing at a UK address. This bail allowed him to commence his tour, including recent shows in the UK.
While Brown has settled a civil lawsuit related to this incident, the criminal proceedings in the UK are continuing independently. Two additional charges – assault occasioning actual bodily harm and possession of an offensive weapon (the bottle) – were added to the indictment, though Brown was not required to enter pleas on these counts at the June 20 hearing; a further hearing for these is set for July 11, 2025. The trial for the grievous bodily harm charge has been scheduled for **October 26, 2026**.
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