London (AFP) – American R&B singer Chris Brown on Friday pleaded not guilty in a UK court to further charges stemming from an alleged London nightclub brawl in 2023. Fans of the singer, who is in the middle of an international tour, packed the public gallery at London’s Southwark Crown Court. Brown, who had a troubled relationship with Barbadian singer Rihanna, turned to face his supporters at the end of the hearing, waving and blowing them a kiss. “I love you Chris,” one of them said.
He formally entered not guilty pleas to charges of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and having an offensive weapon — a bottle — in a public place. Brown, who is on £5.0 million ($6.7 million) bail, spent nearly a week in jail in May before being released. Police arrested him at a five-star hotel in the northwestern city of Manchester hours after he reportedly flew in by private jet. Judge Tony Baumgartner earlier gave him the green light to continue his scheduled tour, which began on June 8 in Amsterdam. Under the terms of his bail, Brown will forfeit the £5.0 million guarantee if he fails to return for court proceedings.
At a hearing last month, Brown entered a not guilty plea to the more serious charge of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent. The charges all relate to the same alleged incident at Tape, an exclusive private members’ club in Hanover Square in London, on February 19, 2023, while Brown was touring in the UK. The victim was allegedly struck several times with a bottle before being pursued, punched, and kicked.
Brown appeared in the dock on Friday with co-defendant Omololu Akinlolu, 39, also a US national, with whom he is jointly charged. Akinlolu also entered a not guilty plea to the same actual bodily harm charge. At the earlier hearing, he denied the charge of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm. Both men are expected to stand trial in October 2026.
© 2024 AFP
