Mel B 'has changed divorce petition to request permanent sole custody of daughter Madison' as feud with estranged husband Stephen Belafonte rumbles on
- Mel had previously requested joint custody
- Stephen Belafonte has filed his official response to Mel B's divorce petition
- Former Spice Girl's estranged husband is asking that she pay his lawyer's fees
- Documents reveal Belafonte and Mel B disagree on their separation date
- Mel filed for divorce last month and has applied for a restraining order
Mel B has reportedly made a huge change to her petition to divorce estranged husband Stephen Belafonte, asking that she get permanent sole custody of their five-year-old daughter Madison, having previously asked for joint.
According to TMZ, the former Spice Girl, 41, has done a complete U-turn after learning that Stephen's previous domestic violence conviction towards another woman means that he is prohibited from owning a gun.
The site claims: 'Mel knew Stephen had a gun and was not happy about it, especially since she alleges he repeatedly committed domestic violence against her.
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'She didn't know he was BANNED from owning a gun': Mel B has reportedly changed her divorce petition against estranged husband Stephen Belafonte to request permanent sole custody of their five-year-old daughter Madison
The apple of her eye: TMZ claims: 'Mel knew Stephen had a gun and was not happy about it, especially since she alleges he repeatedly committed domestic violence against her. (Mel pictured with Madison last year)
'But we're told after recently finding out the gun was illegal to possess, she decided to change her custody strategy.'
TMZ also reports that Mel is now planning to make her temporary restraining order permanent after claiming Stephen used 'racial slurs against her, got the nanny pregnant and was violent towards her in front of the children.'
Moreover, they claim that while Mel might allow monitored visits with Madison in the future, she doesn't want Stephen having contact with her other children.
Bitter row: TMZ claims Mel might allow monitored visits with Madison (second from right) in the future, she doesn't want Stephen having contact with her other children (2015 image)
She has Angel, 10, from her romance with Eddie Murphy and Phoenix, 18, from her previous marriage to Jimmy Gulzar.
Stephen, 41, has asked for joint legal and physical custody of Madison and is asking for spousal support, the documents show, although no figure is stated.
The filing also reveals the former couple disagree on their separation date - him claiming it was March 1 and she December 28.
Acrimonious: Stephen (left) has now filed his official response to Mel B's (right) divorce petition demanding she pay his lawyer's fees
Mel was spotted leaving her lawyer's office for a second day in a row on Thursday as she prepares to take on a messy divorce battle with Belafonte.
Mel states in the documents: 'I am in fear for my safety and that of my children... Likewise the Respondent's emotional and physical abuse of Petitioner in the presence of the minor child is tantamount to abuse of the minor child.'
She continues: 'I have tried to leave the Respondent many times. Every time I tried, the Respondent threatened me with violence and threatened to destroy my life in every way.
'He said he would destroy my career and take my kids from me. He threatened to release sexually explicit videotapes claiming I would never again work in the entertainment industry.'
Stephen Belafonte's official response to Mel B's divorce petition is pictured above
Mel claims stunning German nanny Lorraine Gilles, who worked for the family for seven years, fell pregnant by Belafonte who then paid for her to have an abortion.
Mel B finally sacked the 26-year-old German blonde in September last year after a disastrous family holiday to Ibiza, she says, in explosive court papers lodged on Tuesday.
However, Lorraine's sister Jacquelyn Baartz has hit back against the claims, insisting her younger sibling has done nothing wrong, never slept with Belafonte and loved the singer's children as her own.
Jacquelyn told MailOnline Lorraine wants to say more about the claims but cannot due to a confidentiality agreement.
'She said she could not tell me more from LA because of the agreement she has signed,' said mother-of-two Jacquelyn, who described herself as 'very close' to Lorraine.
'She is a country girl from the sticks who landed up in Los Angeles and everything was going great for her until this. Now she, and we her family, have been plunged into this world of fear and uncertainty because of this.
'There is some kind of contract, that is all I know. I think she wants to tell her side of things though. There is certainly a tale to be told at some point.
'I feel sure that if the pregnancy story had been true we would have known...'
She said Lorraine had denied the allegations to her in a telephone call from Los Angeles.
She went on: 'My sister stopped working for the couple last year. But until she parted I thought everything was harmonious between them.
'She loved their children as her own and was, so we thought, liked by both Mel and Stephen. But who knows what went on beneath the surface?'
Angelika Gilles would not be drawn on the furore surrounding her daughter, saying only: 'If you have children you would know I cannot say anything. I cannot say anything at all.'
In the court papers filed by Mel B this week, the singer regularly refers to Lorraine and claims the nanny had sex with her husband.
Belafonte has denied all the claims against him.
The catalogue of historical allegations of abuse include Belafonte 'punching' and 'choking' Mel, 'splitting her lip' and 'pushing her down on a carpet'.
Mel alleges the psychological and physical abuse dates back to the first year of their marriage, in 2007.
In the papers, Mel claims that Stephen forced her to 'participate in sexual intercourse with him and random women.'
The former Spice Girl suggests that during their marriage, she was coerced into trysts that he secretly record and later used as ammunition against her, threatening to release as sex tapes 'if she tried to resist the threesomes'.
Mel says she begged him to delete the tapes.
Belafonte is also alleged to have shown his wife little sympathy as her beloved father Martin lost his battle with cancer and hid her passport so she couldn't travel.
The film producer allegedly told her to 'Suck it up. If he's going to die, he's going to die.'
Recalling his alleged violent behavior, Mel recalled a time Belafonte was involved in a bar brawl in 2010 when he beat up two men.
Bold statement: The former Spice Girl, 41, looked stunning in a fitted cream turtle neck and generously cut matching flares as she arrived at a friend’s home in Beverly Hills
Claims: The singer alleges her husband Belafonte repeatedly beat her in jealous rages, forced her to have sex in threesomes that he secretly filmed and threatened to release the tapes
Abuse allegations: Mel, pictured on X Factor with injuries allegedly inflicted by her husband, claims that she was frightened to leave him because he threatened to release sex tapes of her
In another incident, the papers allege: 'Stephen placed both of his hands around her neck, began choking her and slammed her down onto the hardwood floors' while she was preparing for U.S. talent show Dancing With The Stars.
It is claimed that although some friends and family members had asked Mel about her injuries and offered to call the police on her behalf, she begged them not to as she feared for her own life and theirs if Belafonte were to find out.
In the documents, Mel alleges that the abuse became part of a 'pattern'. When she became successful, Stephen 'would beat me down to let me know he was in charge.'
She also alleges Belafonte 'punched her and split her lip' after becoming jealous while she filmed a segment with Usher for the X Factor back in 2012.
After asking her husband how she could appear on television with the obvious injury, Belafonte allegedly told her 'she should have thought of that before deciding to flirt with and f*** Usher.'
In further claims, Belafonte is alleged to have 'punched' Mel and 'pushed her down on a carpet' the day before she and the Spice Girls performed at the Olympic closing ceremony.
Mel claims her injuries were so severe her skin was burned from the carpet, adding that she was then forced by her estranged husband to 'tweet that she injured herself by running in heels.'
So 'overcome with emotional and physical exhaustion,' an embattled Mel reveals she overdosed on a bottle of Aspirin back in 2014.
Disturbingly, Belafonte allegedly stopped her from calling the emergency services, with Mel stating he locked her in the bedroom and told her to 'die b***h.'
Mel says she previously tried to leave Belafonte several times, but claims 'he threatened me with violence and threatened to destroy my life in every possible way... destroy my career and take my kids from me.'
However the singer claims Belafonte was supportive and 'rushed to help her in every way' in the months following their marriage.
But she admits to being 'emotionally weak' as her engagement and subsequent wedding took place shortly after the birth of second daughter Angel, conceived during a brief relationship with Hollywood star Eddie Murphy.
'At the time, I was vulnerable. I was giving birth as a single mother, my self-esteem was very low, and my hormones were out of balance due to the pregnancy,' she claims.
She says: 'Respondent's name is Stephen Stansbury, but he often goes by the alias Stephen Belafonte. At the time of our marriage, I was unaware that 'Belafonte' was not Respondent's legal surname, nor was I aware that he was previously married.
'Throughout the marriage, I was the primary income earner. Respondent held neither steady nor gainful employment.
'Respondent has held himself out to be the son of singer Harry Belafonte, when in reality, he is not related.'
The singer also alleges that Belafonte repeatedly told her she was 'worthless, that he made me 'who I am.'
She says he called her 'fat, ugly and old' and constantly alluded to the nanny being prettier, younger and better at raising the children.
However, a statement on behalf of Stephen Belafonte has been issued against his estranged ex Mel B - claiming her allegations of domestic abuse are 'outrageous' and 'unfounded.'
Row: Lorraine, pictured with Mel's husband Stephen Belafonte, is the nanny identified in court papers submitted by the former Spice Girl as she divorces him
The film producer's lawyers told TMZ: 'It's a shame that Ms. Brown elected not to proceed in a respectful and amicable fashion in this very private matter. In due course, Mr. Belafonte will be filing his response to the outrageous and unfounded allegations made by Ms. Brown, which allegations he vehemently denies.'
Continuing on, the statement reads: 'When the Court determines the truth, it will become clear that this entire charade was nothing more than a smear campaign intended to cover up Ms. Brown's own conduct during the marriage in light of her current involvement with a family television show, and in an effort to unfairly gain leverage both financially and with respect to custody of the children.'
'When the degree to which Ms. Brown has gone to create a false depiction of her marriage to Mr. Belafonte is uncovered, real victims and survivors of domestic violence and sexual abuse will be understandably offended, angry and upset.'
'Mr. Belafonte is confident that the truth will come out when he has his day in court at which time he looks forward to being reunited with his children.'
It was also added: 'What matters most to Mr. Belafonte is the safety and well-being of his daughters and step-daughters.'
'Beautiful': German former exchange student Lorraine Gilles was employed by Mel B and her estranged husband Stephen Belafonte for around seven years
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