Chris Brown's pal remanded in custody after court hearing over nightclub attack
The Metropolitan Police announced today that US national Akinlolu, 38, had been charged with grievous bodily harm with intent. Police said the charge relates to an assault, which reportedly took place at a venue in Hanover Square in London, on Sunday, 19 February 2023.
Akinlolu appeared in the dock flanked by security guards at Manchester Magistrates' Court wearing a pink tracksuit. He spoke to confirm him name and address, which was given to the court as The Lowry Hotel in Salford, which is the address Chris Brown also gave during his hearing yesterday, MEN reports.
During today's hearing, prosecutor Peter Conroy told the court the prosecution will allege Akinlolu 'repeatedly punched' victim Abe Diaw 'in the head'. He added that it is alleged an incident at the London nightclub started at a bar area and continued across the bar into a different room within the establishment.
The prosecutor also told the court how police attempted to contact both Akinlolu and Brown on 'several occasions' in an attempt to invite them to voluntary interviews. He added that the interviews did not take place because Akinlolu and Brown did not respond. The court also heard how Akinlolu was arrested in Manchester on Friday night.
Grace Forbes, who is representing Akinlolu, told the court: "He will be entering a not guilty plea." But a plea was not entered during the hearing today.
The defence added to the court that if Akinlolu had been trying to avoid police in the UK, he wouldn't have come to the UK. Ms Forbes said: "That would be an extraordinary thing to do if he had any intention to avoid the police in this country." An application for bail was made for Akinlolu as Ms Forbes proposed a surety involving his mother's 'life-savings'. She added that Akinlolu would surrender his passport, reside in Manchester and not apply for any travel documents and proposed that he wouldn't enter any port or airport, and abide by a curfew.
However, bail was refused and Akinlolu was remanded in custody. Chairman of the bench, Ronald Marshall, says: "On this occasion we are refusing bail and you will be kept in custody." The case is adjourned.
Akinlolu will appear at Southwark Crown Court in London on June 20.
Brown and fellow musician Akinlolu released music together in the past, as Hoody Baby featured on Brown's track No Such Thing, released in 2020. Meanwhile, Brown features on Hoody Baby's song Flexing, which also has features from Lil Wayne, Quavo and Gudda Gudda.
Yesterday, 36 year old musician Chris Brown appeared at Manchester Magistrates Court after being charged with grievous bodily harm with intent by the Metropolitan Police. He was arrested at 2am on Thursday at The Lowry Hotel in the city after police discovered he was in the country ahead of upcoming tour dates in Europe and the UK.
Brown has been remanded in custody until June 13 by a judge in Manchester over an allegation of causing grievous bodily harm with intent.
Following Brown's arrest, a spokesman for The Metropolitan Police said: "A 36-year-old man was arrested at a hotel in Manchester shortly after 02:00hrs on Thursday, 15 May 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 19 February 2023. The investigation is being led by detectives from the Central West Area Basic Command Unit."
On Thursday evening, Adele Kelly, the Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor for CPS London North, said: "We have authorised the Metropolitan Police to charge Chris Brown, 36, 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.
"It is extremely important that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings."
Following the news Brown had been remanded in custody until June 13, dates for his upcoming tour have been thrown into chaos. His Breezy Bowl XX Tour is due to start in Amsterdam on June 8 - but Brown will be in custody ahead of his appearance at Southwark crown court in London on June 13.
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Newly appointed shadow housing secretary Sir James Cleverly also weighed in this morning, criticising the Prime Minister for a 'disconnect from reality' when it comes to housing asylum seekers. The Tory MP and former home secretary said asylum hotels are being reopened and that more asylum seekers are likely to be sent to an accommodation centre in his own constituency of Braintree. 'The Government has lost control,' he told LBC. 'And to add insult to injury, we saw the Prime Minister at the Liaison Committee just this week blithely saying, oh, there are plenty of houses for asylum seekers, when there are people all over the country struggling to get on the housing ladder, and that complete disconnect from reality, I think, is driving a lot of frustrations. 'There is never an excuse for rioting, and I'll make that absolutely clear, but the Government really is making a difficult situation significantly worse.' He said that people who live close to facilities housing asylum seekers are 'typically well behaved' but that there are 'agitators, both of the left and the right, imposing themselves on local communities to try and play out a political agenda, and local people are caught in the crossfire'. The Government should be seen to be 'on the side of the people who play by the rules, rather than on the side of the people who abuse the system, jump the queue and try and exploit our hospitality,' he said. Protesters are already plotting to take action outside more migrant hotels in the coming days. Conservative Councillor Daniel Elmer, who leads South Norfolk Council, yesterday told MailOnline 'the risk of public discontent is real' as he responded to the protests outside The Park Hotel in Diss. He added: 'I think that is unarguable. The fact that we already have protests proves that there is a risk of the public getting very, very upset with this to the point they're prepared to go out on the streets to stop it.' Speaking about the protests at the hotel, he added: 'I think the anger here is completely understandable. I think they probably feel a bit taken advantage of because this was meant to be a family hotel. 'It was largely accepted two years ago on that basis. And now it feels like the Home Office is changing the goalposts again.' Since 2023, the 19-room hotel - in the centre of Diss - has been used to house asylum seeker families, including several women and children, but there are fears the change to single adult men could bring tension to the market town. Migrant hotels usually house two asylum seekers per room, meaning there could be at least 38 men bussed into Diss. But the council say the Home Office has not confirmed the numbers yet and they are 'incredibly disappointed' at the short notice. Mr Elmer said that it is crucial how 'safe people feel' in the 'very small tight-knit community' of Diss, adding: 'It is indisputably true that lots of young adult men make people feel less safe than women and children. 'I understand why people are angry, and I would never want belittle that anger. I think it is obviously concerning if there is a risk of anything becoming violent.' As well as the protests in Diss and Epping, demonstrations have already been planned in other parts of Norfolk and Worcestershire on Saturday, stoking fears more riots are on the way. Mr Elmer said it was 'absolutely true' that there is a risk of more violence on the streets this summer. Amid growing fears of further violence, Angela Rayner today told the Cabinet this morning they had to 'acknowledge the real concerns people have' about immigration and economic insecurity, hours after the anti-migrant clashes in Norfolk. The Prime Minister's official spokesman said today that Ms Rayner warned the Cabinet '17 of the 18 places that saw the worst of the disorder last summer ranked at the top of the most deprived, and while Britain was a successful multi-ethnic, multi-faith country, the Government had to show it had a plan to address people's concerns (and) provide opportunities for everyone to flourish'. The Deputy Prime Minister told the Cabinet they had to 'acknowledge the real concerns people have' about immigration and economic insecurity as fears of a 'summer of riots' grew 'I think she sees a link between concerns that people have about where the Government is acting on their behalf and acting in their interests, and a range of factors,' he said. 'High levels of immigration over the last 10 years, including illegal immigration, but also, importantly, the cost of living, economic security, the rapid pace of technological change and deindustrialisation and changes in the economy, these are all factors that have had an impact on our social fabric and social cohesion.' A spokesman for the Met Police said: 'Officers were in attendance at a protest outside a hotel in Canary Wharf on Tuesday, 22 July. 'No arrests were made. Officers remain in the area to deal with any incidents.'
