When did Chris Brown appear in court? Singer pleads not guilty for London nightclub attack case
Chris Brown appeared at Southwark Crown Court on Friday, June 20, 2025, morning, where he pleaded not guilty to a charge of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent. The charge was about the alleged assault at Tape, an upscale nightclub in Mayfair, London, on February 19, 2023. Brown, 36, is accused of attacking Abraham Diaw around the venue, where Diaw claims he was punched and kicked during a physical altercation.
Chris Brown was joined in court by co-defendant Omololu Akinlolu, a 38-year-old US national. Both men face charges related to the same incident. During the hearing, prosecutors stated that Diaw was initially struck multiple times with a bottle while at the bar, before being chased and assaulted further in another area of the nightclub.
More about the charges against Chris Brown
According to prosecutors, Diaw was standing at the bar when he was hit multiple times with a bottle. He was then reportedly chased to another area of the club, where he claims he was further punched and kicked. Chris Brown and his co-defendant, 38-year-old US national Omololu Akinlolu, who performs under the name HoodyBaby, were both charged in connection with the same incident. Both men attended the court’s plea and trial preparation hearing on Friday.
Chris Brown was arrested by Metropolitan Police officers on May 15, 2025, at the Lowry Hotel in Manchester. Following his arrest, he was remanded to HMP Forest Bank in Salford and released on conditional bail six days later. As part of the bail terms, Brown was required to post a £5 million security bond.
Chris Brown was first denied bail on May 16 but was released on May 21 after posting a total bail amount of $6.7 million, with $4.5 million paid upfront. As reported by the BBC, his release conditions include restrictions on travel, a ban on contacting the alleged victim, and a prohibition on entering the nightclub where the incident is said to have taken place.
Brown’s legal history includes a 2009 felony assault conviction following a physical altercation with megastar and his then-girlfriend Rihanna. He pleaded guilty to the charges and was sentenced to community labor, five years of probation, and a yearlong domestic violence counseling program. In 2010, Brown publicly expressed that he had completed the program and stated that personal accountability was an important part of moving forward.
Breezy Bowl XX tour
Chris Brown has continued his international Breezy Bowl XX tour despite the active case. He acknowledged his recent jail stay during a concert in Manchester at the Co-Op Live Arena on June 9, 2025, telling fans,
“Thank you to the jail… it was really nice.”
Just before his court appearance in London, he performed at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff on June 18, 2025. According to a BBC article from Thursday, June 18, 2025, many roads were closed off in Cardiff from 3 PM to midnight to manage crowds heading to the concert at the Principality Stadium, and train services were impacted due to ongoing engineering works.
He is scheduled to perform at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on June 15 and 16, 2025, followed by shows in Birmingham, Glasgow, and Manchester.
The Southwark Crown Court hearing on June 14, 2025, was the first formal court appearance for Chris Brown and Omololu Akinlolu regarding the Mayfair nightclub case. Both men are out on bail, with the £5 million security bond subject to forfeiture if bail conditions are breached. No trial date has yet been publicly announced.
