American R&B star Chris Brown has been granted £5 million bail with strict international travel restrictions after being charged over an alleged bottle attack at a London nightclub in 2023.
The 36-year-old Grammy-winning singer was arrested in Manchester last Thursday, just hours after landing in the UK on a private jet and checking into the five-star Lowry Hotel in Salford.
He faces a charge of grievous bodily harm following an alleged assault on music producer Abe Diaw at the exclusive Tape nightclub in Mayfair in February 2023.
At a Southwark Crown Court hearing, prosecutors revealed that Brown will still be allowed to travel for his 20-year anniversary tour, which includes dates across Europe, the US, and Canada—but only under an elaborate arrangement.
According to prosecutor Heidi Stonecliffe KC, Brown’s passport will be held by police and can only be accessed by his lawyers when travel is necessary. The passport will be transferred to a US-based attorney, Matthew Cayman, who will hold it during the US leg of the tour, and then return it to a UK solicitor once Brown finishes his international shows.
“The passport is to be lodged with a US lawyer named Mr Matthew Cayman… It will be held by him until August, then Mr Brown travels to Canada,” Stonecliffe explained.
Brown’s bail also requires him to reside at a UK address, avoid the Tape nightclub, and refrain from contacting his co-accused, Dallas rapper Omolulu Akinlolu, as well as the complainant and any witnesses.
Judge Tony Baumgartner raised concerns over the singer’s financial standing, questioning whether £5 million would be sufficient to ensure his return to the UK.
“What I don’t have is any feel for the defendant’s net worth… It might be a lot of money to him or not a lot of money to him,” the judge noted.
Brown did not appear in court, but his legal team—led by Sallie Bennett-Jenkins KC—stated that they were working across time zones to confirm details of his net worth during the proceedings.
A case management hearing is scheduled for October 24, after the conclusion of his world tour.
