Chris Brown/Instagram

American R&B singer Chris Brown, the former boyfriend of superstar Rihanna, was charged on Thursday with "grievous bodily harm" over an assault at a London nightclub in 2023, police said.

Arrested earlier Thursday at a hotel in Manchester, Brown remains in custody and will appear in court in the northwestern city at 10:00 am on Friday, the Metropolitan Police said in a statement.

The charges relate to "an assault, which reportedly took place at a venue in Hanover Square in London" on February 19, 2023, the statement said.

Brown allegedly attacked music producer Abe Diaw with a bottle at Tape nightclub in London's exclusive Mayfair district in February 2023, The Sun daily reported.

The singer, who began his career in the 2000s and has sold tens of millions of records worldwide, was touring the UK at the time.

Brown reportedly flew into Manchester airport by private jet on Wednesday afternoon.

He is due to perform a number of dates in Britain next month.

Police detained Brown in the early hours of Thursday at the five-star Lowry Hotel in Manchester, according to media reports.

Brown rose to fame at a young age with his rich R&B voice and later rap, but his reputation was later tarnished by allegations of domestic violence and other abuse.

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He was convicted of having beaten Rihanna, then his girlfriend, before the 2009 Grammy Awards, forcing the pop star to miss the annual gala.

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