UK court orders singer Chris Brown held in custody over 2023 nightclub fight in London

LONDON AP Grammy-winning singer Chris Brown was ordered held in custody Friday after appearing in a British courtroom to face charges he beat a music producer with a bottle in a London nightclub in Brown was charged in Manchester Magistrates Court with one count of causing grievous bodily harm He didn t enter a plea Prosecutor Hannah Nicholls reported the crime was extremely serious and that Brown had struck producer Abe Diaw several times with a bottle at the Tape nightclub in the swanky Mayfair neighborhood in London on Feb Brown was on tour in the U K at the time Brown then chased Diaw and punched and kicked him in an attack caught on surveillance camera in front a club full of people Nicholls declared Brown was flanked by court officers in the dock His hair was bleached blonde and he wore sweatpants and a black T-shirt He approved his name and birth date and disclosed his address was the local Lowry Hotel where he was arrested early Thursday morning and taken into custody His development was transferred to Southwark Crown Court in London where he is scheduled to appear on June Brown s representative didn t right now respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press Brown often called by his nickname Breezy burst onto the music scene as a teen in and has become a major hitmaker over the years with notable songs such as Run It Kiss Kiss and Without You He won his first Grammy for best R B album in for F A M E then earned his second gold trophy in the same category for Deluxe earlier this year The singer is due to launch an international tour next month with artists Jhene Aiko Summer Walker and Bryson Tiller opening with a European leg before starting North America shows in July