Mel B has filed a restraining order against Stephen Belafonte, alleging a litany of abuse throughout their nearly ten-year marriage. The former Spice Girl filed the order on Monday, and Stephen has now been ordered to stay away from Mel and her three children, Phoenix, 18, Angel, ten and five-year-old Madison. In the official paperwork, obtained by People, Mel claims that her estranged husband repeatedly beat her and left her terrified for her life.
She details one alleged incident in August 2012 in which Stephen punched and pushed her down after she performed with the Spice Girl at the London 2012 Olympics. She said that her skin was "scabbed over from the rug burns" and states that Stephen forced her to tweet that she hurt herself by running in high heels: a tweet Mel shared that month read: "Running in 7 inch louboutin no good!! I’m wearing Prague on my face!!"
Mel B has taken out a restraining order against estranged husband Stephen Belafonte
News of the restraining order comes just a few weeks after Mel filed for divorce from Stephen. He has denied the claims to TMZ – first to report the news – and said he is "shocked" by the allegations. In her court documents, Mel detailed years of abuse, alleging that the first incident took place just five months after their June 2007 marriage. She said Stephen would abuse her whenever she succeeded in something, stating that he would "beat me down to let me know he was in charge". She detailed incidents that took place following her Dancing with the Stars finale appearance in November 2007, and in July 2012 when he allegedly accused her of flirting with Usher.
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In December 2014, the couple's marriage came under the spotlight when Mel appeared The X Factor sporting what looked like bruises. Stephen denied rumours with a tweet at the time, which read: "I don't usually respond to Twitter msgs but I will respond to comments of hitting my wife which I think are quite disgusting and untrue!"
The couple married in secret on 6 June 2007 in Las Vegas
Mel, 41, said she had tried to leave her husband on a number of occasions, but claimed he had threatened to destroy her career and take her children, adding: "[He] threatened me with violence and threatened to destroy my life in every possible way." In the documents, Mel claimed she was "vulnerable" when she met Stephen because she had just given birth to Angel as a single mother. She said he was initially kind to her, but stated she now knows that was a "grooming tactic", adding: "[Stephen's] kindness quickly turned sour as he became controlling, manipulative and abusive."
