US R&B star Chris Brown has been arrested and charged in the UK in connection with an alleged nightclub assault in London last year.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed that the 36-year-old singer was arrested in the early hours of Thursday at a hotel in Manchester.
Brown was taken into custody on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm with intent, relating to an incident at the Tape nightclub in Mayfair on 19 February 2023.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has now formally charged Brown under section 18 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861. Adele Kelly, deputy chief crown prosecutor for CPS London North, said: “Criminal proceedings against this defendant are active, and he has the right to a fair trial.”
The alleged victim, music producer Abe Diaw, previously claimed that Brown struck him over the head with a bottle before punching and kicking him as he lay on the floor.
Diaw said the attack left him with a collapsed knee, requiring hospital treatment and the use of crutches upon discharge.
The incident had remained under investigation for over a year.
According to reports, The Sun newspaper spotted Brown arriving in the UK on a private jet at Manchester Airport on Wednesday and subsequently notified the police of his presence. Met Police officers later travelled to Manchester, where Brown was arrested.
A Met Police spokesperson confirmed: “A 36-year-old man was arrested at a hotel in Manchester shortly after 2:00 AM on Thursday, 15 May, on suspicion of grievous bodily harm. He remains in custody.”
Chris Brown, who rose to fame in the mid-2000s with hits like Run It, No Air, Beautiful People, and Under the Influence, is currently on a UK tour, with several shows scheduled for June and July.
Representatives for the singer have yet to issue an official statement regarding the arrest.
