Tough times for Chris Brown over the pond. ICYMI, the R&B icon is facing serious legal trouble in the UK, as authorities have denied him bail following his arrest tied to a violent assault case dating back to 2023.
Brown was taken into custody on Thursday (May 15) in connection with an alleged attack on music producer Abe Diaw. Brown is accused of striking Diaw multiple times with a tequila bottle and then stomping on his head after he hit the ground—an incident reportedly taking place in February of last year. Authorities had attempted to address the matter when it occurred, but Brown had already left the country.
While in the UK, Brown will remain in custody until at least June 13, when he’s scheduled to enter a plea and appear at a trial preparation hearing, according to Sky News. The timing of the case couldn’t be worse for the Grammy-winning artist, who is set to launch his European tour on June 8 in the Netherlands. He’s also booked for a major show in Manchester on June 15—an appearance that now hangs in the balance.
Get this, District Judge Joanne Hirst determined that the severity of the allegations made it unfit for a lower court, escalating the case to Southwark Crown Court, which handles more serious offenses.
Check this out, in a statement from the Crown Prosecution Service, CPS London North’s deputy chief crown prosecutor Adele Kelly emphasized the importance of due process:
“The Crown Prosecution Service reminds all concerned that criminal proceedings against this defendant are active and that he has the right to a fair trial. It is extremely important that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.”
Obviously, the arrest is critical in Brown’s international comeback. After being banned from the UK for a decade following his 2010 assault conviction involving Rihanna, Brown was granted re-entry in 2020. Since then, he’s seen a resurgence, winning Best R&B Album at this year’s Grammys for 11:11 (Deluxe) and selling out shows worldwide.