U.S. R&B star Chris Brown has been granted £5 million (USD 6.4 million) bail by a London court, allowing him to move forward with his international tour next month despite facing a serious assault charge stemming from a 2023 nightclub incident.
The 36-year-old singer is accused of causing grievous bodily harm in what prosecutors have described as an “unprovoked attack” on music producer Abraham Diaw, reportedly striking him with a tequila bottle at the upscale Tape nightclub in Mayfair in February 2023.
Brown, a two-time Grammy Award winner was arrested last week at a hotel in Manchester after returning to the UK for the first time since the incident.
He was initially denied bail last Friday, but Judge Tony Baumgartner granted conditional release on Wednesday at Southwark Crown Court, even though Brown was not present for the hearing. The bail terms include an immediate payment of £4 million, with an additional £1 million due within seven days.
In a complex legal arrangement, Brown will be allowed to travel for professional purposes related to his “Breezy Bowl XX” world tour, which begins June 8 in the Netherlands, and includes stops across Europe, the U.S., and Canada. However, his passport will remain in custody, held by his legal team and police, and will only be released when needed for tour-related travel.
The court also imposed strict bail conditions, including prohibiting Brown from Visiting Tape nightclub, contacting his co-accused, the complainant, or any witnesses. Brown has not yet entered a plea, and a trial date has not been set.
