R&B superstar Chris Brown has been granted permission to return to the United States while awaiting trial over an alleged bottle attack at a London nightclub in 2023.
During a hearing at Southwark Crown Court on Tuesday, October 28, Judge Tony Baumgartner approved changes to the singer’s bail conditions. Brown, dressed in a white shirt and tie, was seen waving and flashing peace signs as he left the courtroom and entered a waiting vehicle.
Prosecutor Heidi Stonecliffe KC informed the court that while the terms of Brown’s bail had been adjusted, they remain “very stringent” and “numerous.” The £5 million security bond initially imposed also remains in effect to ensure Brown’s return to the UK when required.
The 35-year-old artist has pleaded not guilty to charges of assault occasioning actual bodily harm against music producer Abraham Diaw at Tape nightclub in London’s Mayfair on February 19, 2023. He has also denied charges of possessing an offensive weapon — a bottle — and attempting to cause grievous bodily harm.
Brown’s co-defendant, Omololu Akinlolu, a 39-year-old U.S. national, also entered a not-guilty plea to the assault charge.
According to prosecutors, Diaw was struck multiple times with a bottle while standing at the bar before being chased to another section of the venue, where he was allegedly punched and kicked. Brown was later arrested at the Lowry Hotel in Manchester on May 15, 2025, and released on bail after posting the £5 million bond.
Previously, Brown’s bail conditions allowed him to continue his international tour but required him to reside at a court-approved address, avoid the nightclub, and refrain from any contact with the alleged victim.
Granting both defendants permission to travel back to the U.S., Judge Baumgartner cautioned:
“You will have to return to the United Kingdom when required to do so.”
He further warned that failure to appear in court could result in the forfeiture of their bail securities. Both men are scheduled to appear again at Southwark Crown Court on January 28.
During a concert in Manchester earlier this year, Brown thanked staff at HMP Forest Bank, where he was briefly held, saying:
“Thank you to the jail — y’all were really nice.”
The upcoming trial will determine whether the R&B icon, who continues his Breezy Bowl XX Tour, will face further legal consequences related to the alleged assault incident.
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