'FROM THE CAGE TO THE STAGE': Chris Brown makes statement after being released from prison on £5million bail
21 May 2025, 21:28
The 36-year-old R&B singer has been released on bail after being charged by police last week over an alleged bottle attack at a London nightclub two years ago.
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Shortly after his release today from HMP Forest Bank prison in Salford, Greater Manchester, Brown posted an Instagram story which said: "FROM THE CAGE TO THE STAGE!!! BREEZYBOWL.", referencing his upcoming tour.
Brown left prison in a silver Mercedes van at 4:45pm with his girlfriend and entourage. A small crowd of fans cheered as the vehicle was driven away.
Brown has been told he can continue with his scheduled international tour as part of his bail conditions. The Breezy Bowl XX European tour includes ten UK tour dates.
Brown's passport will be held by lawyers and police until he requires it to fulfil tour dates in Europe, the US, and Canada, the court heard.
Prosecutor Heidi Stonecliffe KC said Brown's passport will then be collected by a solicitor from law firm Hickman & Rose, before being returned to Brown so he can travel to the US.
The passport will then be kept with a US lawyer named Matthew Cayman.
"We have checked his details and he does exist," Stonecliffe said.
"It will be held by Mr Cayman until August."
"Then Mr Brown travels to Canada. It will be held by Mr Cayman during his US tour then Mr Brown returns to the UK and his passport will then be held by a solicitor."
The US-born singer was arrested by police in Manchester last Thursday and charged with causing grievous bodily harm to music producer Abe Diaw during the alleged assault at the Tape nightclub in Mayfair in February 2023.
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Brown had arrived in the UK on a private jet hours earlier, and was staying at the five-star Lowry Hotel in Salford when he was arrested by police.
The conditions of his bail mean Brown must reside at an address in the UK, and can only access his passport when it is necessary for him to travel for a tour date.
Other conditions of Brown's bail require him not to attend the Tape nightclub or contact the complainant, witnesses, or his co-accused, Dallas rapper Omolulu Akinlolu.
Judge Tony Baumgartner said he needed to know Brown's net worth before agreeing to the bail conditions.
"The one concern I have is the defendant leaving the jurisdiction then returning to the jurisdiction," he said.
"What I don’t have is any feel for the defendant’s net worth and how the security stands against that."
"It might be a lot of money to him or not a lot of money to him."
Sallie Bennett-Jenkins KC said that during a break in proceedings she had been "waking up a lot of people across the west coast of America" to establish Brown’s net worth.
Brown is alleged to have hit Diaw over the head with a bottle two or three times in an unprovoked attack at the Mayfair nightclub, then punched and kicked him as he lay on the floor.
Prosecutor Hannah Nicholls previously told Manchester Magistrates' Court the incident, which was caught on CCTV, was an "extremely serious" attack.
Adele Kelly, deputy chief crown prosecutor for CPS London North, said before today's hearing: "We have authorised the Metropolitan Police to charge Chris Brown with one count of grievous bodily harm, contrary to section 18 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861."
"The alleged incident occurred in London on February 19, 2023. He will have his first court appearance on Friday, May 16 at Manchester Magistrates' Court."
"The Crown Prosecution Service reminds all concerned that criminal proceedings against this defendant are active and that he has the right to a fair trial."
A spokesperson for the Greater Manchester Police, who arrested Brown, said: "This morning (Thursday) we arrested a 36-year-old man at a hotel in Manchester on suspicion of grievous bodily harm on behalf of the Metropolitan Police."
The Metropolitan Police said: "A 36-year-old man was arrested at a hotel in Manchester shortly after 2am on Thursday, May 15 on suspicion of grievous bodily harm."
"He has been taken into custody where he remains."
"The arrest relates to an incident at a venue in Hanover Square on February 19, 2023."
"The investigation is being led by detectives from the Central West Area Basic Command Unit."
Chris Brown rose to fame in the 2000s and had multiple singles top the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Brown has sold over 140 million records and is one of the world's best-selling artists. He holds the record for the most top 40 hits of any R&B singer.
He was also known for his relationship with singer Rihanna.
In 2009, Brown pleaded guilty to assaulting Rihanna, his then-girlfriend, and was sentenced to five years probation and six months community service.
Brown will next appear in court in the UK on June 20, alongside his co-accused Akinlolu.
A case management hearing has been set for October 24.
