American R&B singer Chris Brown has pleaded not guilty to a charge of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm following an alleged bottle attack at a nightclub in London.
The 36-year-old artist is accused of attempting to unlawfully and maliciously inflict serious injury on Abraham Diaw during an incident at the Tape venue on 19 February 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 at Southwark Crown Court in London.
In addition, both men face a charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, while Brown is also charged with possessing an offensive weapon in a public place. Pleas on those further charges were not entered, with the court scheduling another hearing for 11 July.
The courtroom saw a sizeable turnout, with around 20 individuals—many of them fans—gathering in the public gallery.
A trial lasting between five and seven days has been scheduled to begin on 26 October 2026.
Brown arrived at the courthouse shortly after 9 a.m., greeted by a crowd of photographers. He entered the building without comment.
The Go Crazy singer was granted conditional bail last month, allowing him to continue his international tour. He performed in Wales on Thursday night.
As part of his bail conditions, Brown was required to pay a £5 million (€5.8 million/$6.7 million) security to the court—a financial guarantee to ensure his return for trial, which may be forfeited if any conditions are breached.
(dpa/NAN)