Chris Brown Pleads Not Guilty to Bottle Attack Charge at London Nightclub

American R&B star Chris Brown has pleaded not guilty to a charge of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm in connection with an alleged bottle attack at a London nightclub.

The 36-year-old musician is accused of attempting to unlawfully and maliciously cause grievous bodily harm with intent to Abraham Diaw during an incident at Tape nightclub on February 19, 2023.

His co-defendant, fellow U.S. national Omololu Akinlolu, also denied the same charge during a plea and trial preparation hearing held on Friday morning at Southwark Crown Court.

Both Brown and Akinlolu face an additional charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm against Diaw. Brown is also charged with possessing an offensive weapon in a public place. The defendants were not required to enter pleas for these counts at Friday’s hearing.

A further court session has been scheduled for July 11.

Around 20 people, many of them Brown’s fans, filled the public gallery behind the dock during the hearing.

The court has set a date for a five to seven-day trial, expected to begin on October 26, 2026.

Brown arrived at the court around 9 a.m., flanked by a crowd of photographers. He made no statement as he walked silently into the building.

The Go Crazy singer, who is currently on an international tour, performed in Wales on Thursday night. He was previously released on conditional bail after paying a £5 million (€5.7 million or $6.7 million) security fee to the court. The amount serves as a financial guarantee to ensure he returns for future proceedings and could be forfeited if bail terms are violated.