Chris Brown pleads not guilty to 2023 nightclub bottle attack charge in U.K. court

LONDON — Singer Chris Brown has pleaded not guilty to a charge in connection with an alleged 2023 London nightclub attack and will face trial next year.

Brown, wearing a navy blue, three-piece suit, appeared in person at London’s Southwark Crown to enter a not guilty plea to one count of attempting to cause “grievous bodily harm” in connection with a February 2023 altercation, where he allegedly attacked a music producer with a bottle. He is also charged with one count of assault and one count of possessing an offensive weapon and will enter pleas on those charges at a later hearing.

When asked for his plea, he said: “Not guilty, ma’am.”

Omololu Akinlolu, an American rapper who performs under the name “Hoody Baby,” also pleaded not guilty to the same charge of attempting to cause “grievous bodily harm.”

Akinlolu and Brown are both accused of attacking music producer Abe Diaw at Tape nightclub in London’s upmarket Mayfair district.

Brown, 36, was arrested at a Manchester hotel last month as he prepared for a series of shows in the country. He faces a prison sentence of between two and 16 years if he is convicted.

The pair appears in court again in July, and their trial date has been set for Oct. 26, 2026.

The singer was remanded in custody after an initial hearing at Manchester Magistrates’ Court last month but was later freed after paying a 5 million pound bond ($6.7 million).

Brown’s tour has started regardless of the legal case, kicking off in Manchester on June 15. He played in Cardiff on Thursday.

He will play the 60,000-capacity Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday, followed by dates in Birmingham, Glasgow, Ireland and the U.S.