Singer Chris Brown ordered held until June in UK assault case

American R&B singer Chris Brown, former boyfriend of superstar Rihanna, was Friday remanded in custody until June 13 by a UK court, charged with assault over a 2023 incident.

The judge's decision to reject his bail request throws into doubt the start of Brown's next tour, with shows already sold out in the Netherlands on June 8 and Germany on June 11.

Brown, a two-time Grammy winner who has sold tens of millions of records worldwide, was arrested in the early hours of Thursday at a Manchester hotel and charged over the alleged assault at a London nightclub in 2023, police said.

The 36-year-old appeared at Manchester Magistrates' Court on Friday, where District Judge Joanne Hirst remanded him in custody until a plea and trial preparation hearing at London's Southwark Crown Court on June 13.

Brown is due to play in Germany that day, and has a series of shows planned in the UK and Europe during June and July, before heading to the United States.

Wearing a black T-shirt, Brown spoke to confirm his name, age, and the address of the hotel where he was staying.

The singer is known for mid-2000s hits such as "Kiss, Kiss", as well as a litany of legal troubles, including a felony conviction for assaulting then-girlfriend Rihanna in 2009.

He has also faced criminal accusations, including sexual assault and domestic violence.

AFP