Chris Brown Denied Entry to the UK

NEW YORK (CBS) Chris Brown is being forced to postpone his U.K. tour after being denied a visa to enter the country.

BBC News reported Tuesday that Brown was refused on the grounds of being guilty of a "serious criminal offense."

In a statement, the British Home Office said, "We reserve the right to refuse entry to the U.K. to anyone guilty of a serious criminal offence. Public safety is one of our primary concerns."

"Each application to enter the U.K. is considered on its individual merits," the statement continued

Brown was scheduled to perform three concerts in the country, beginning with one on Wednesday in Glasgow, Scotland, and two others in Birmingham and London. An additional concert in Cork, Ireland, has also been shelved, according to the report.

Tour promoters SJM confirmed to BBC News that the concerts have been postponed "due to unforseen circumstances." They advised concert-goers to hold onto their tickets as there would be "possible re-arranged dates."

Sony Music also confirmed in the report that the Brown's tour has been postponed "due to issues surrounding his work visa" and that "Chris looks forward to performing for his fans abroad in the near future and thanks them for their continued support."

The singer mentioned being denied entry to the U.K. on his Twitter account, according to the report, but the posts were subsequently deleted.

Brown was sentenced to five years probation and 180 days of community labor in August 2009 for assaulting then-girlfriend Rihanna.