Mel B has failed in her latest bid to get her ex-husband’s defamation lawsuit against her thrown out of court, after she wrote publicly about their ‘abusive relationship’.
Stephen Belafonte and Mel B were married from 2007 to 2017 and share daughter Madison, 13, together.
The Spice Girl, 49, accused Stephen of being abusive and controlling during their relationship, which she detailed in interviews and her biography Brutally Honest.
Belafonte denies the claims and has filed a £3.9million defamation lawsuit against his ex-wife.
Last month, Mel B’s legal team asked for the case to be thrown out, but it has been denied, The Mirror reported.
According to the newspaper, Belafonte said: ‘I am ready to prove Melanie’s statements about me are false.’
In their filing to have the case dismissed, Mel B’s lawyers said: ‘Brown should have never been dragged through the courts because of an exercise of [her] constitutional rights.’
Mel B has failed in her latest bid to get her ex-husband Stephen Belafonte’s defamation lawsuit against her thrown out of court
The Spice Girl, 49, accused Stephen of being abusive and controlling during their relationship, which she detailed in interviews and her biography Brutally Honest
Belafonte denies the claims and has filed a £3.9million defamation lawsuit against his ex-wife
The film producer is suing Mel B, claiming that she ‘engaged in a deliberate and wide-ranging campaign to cause him severe emotional distress and destroy his reputation’, it was revealed in May.
Belafonte, 49, alleges that Mel began her ‘long-brewing harassment’ in 2017 with ‘fraudulent’ domestic violence claims, which he says these were eventually dismissed.
But he later admitted: ‘The damage had been done. As a result of false allegations of rape, illegal gun possession, sex trafficking, production of illegal porn, domestic battery and child endangerment, Mr Belafonte lost access to his home and children.
‘The American film producer is suing Mel claiming she ‘engaged in a deliberate and wide-ranging campaign to cause him severe emotional distress and destroy his reputation’.
In May, Mel B was awarded an honorary doctorate for her campaigning efforts for victims of domestic abuse.
Stephen Belafonte and Mel B were married from 2007 to 2017 and share daughter Madison, 13, together
Last month, Mel B’s legal team asked for the case to be thrown out, but it has been denied. Pictured: Mel B speaking to the BBC Newsnight about domestic abuse
Mel B said winning an honorary doctorate for her campaigning efforts for victims of domestic abuse was as massive’ as performing at Wembley Stadium with the Spice Girls
She said the award was ‘as massive’ as performing at Wembley Stadium with the Spice Girls.
Appearing on Loose Women in March, Mel B revealed that five years after leaving Stephen, she still suffered from panic attacks and PTSD, and had previously tried to end her marriage six or seven times.
Speaking on Loose Women, Mel made an appearance on the show during their Facing It Together campaign, which aims to raise awareness of domestic abuse.
Over the years, Mel B has accused him of physical, emotional, and financial abuse, claims he denies.
Mel told the panel that she was reluctant to leave Belafonte as she had completely ostracised herself from her family.
She said: ‘Even though I was in my marriage for ten years I tried to leave six or seven times. I went back due to fear or blackmail.
‘You think ”what am i going to do if I leave, I haven’t spoken to my mum in weeks, then its month, then years.” It happens so gradually.’
Belafonte, 49, alleges that Mel began her ‘long-brewing harassment’ in 2017 with ‘fraudulent’ domestic violence claims, which he says these were eventually dismissed . Pictured: Mel B speaking on Loose Women
Over the years, Mel B has accused Stephen Belafonte of physical, emotional, and financial abuse, claims he denies (Pictured in 2015)
The film producer is suing Mel, claiming that she ‘engaged in a deliberate and wide-ranging campaign to cause him severe emotional distress and destroy his reputation’ (Pictured in June)
‘You feel like you’re doing everything wrong and they encourage that feeling. I went from living in a mansion in LA to my mum’s bungalow with my kids.’
Mel also appeared on the show to discuss the release of a revised version of her autobiography Brutally Honest.
She said: ‘Writing the book was cathartic. But it was a taboo topic in 2018 and no publisher wanted it.’
She said of the dark period in her life which was plagued by financial stress: ‘People will assume, ”She’s rich, she’s a Spice Girl”.
‘But I went from performing to thousands at Wembley on the Spice Girls’ 13-date Reunion Tour in 2019 to squeezing into my mum’s with my kids sleeping in bed with me.
‘I didn’t expect that to happen in my 40s after a successful career but I had nowhere else to go because I was so badly affected financially from my relationship, I had to pick up the pieces.’
Mel spent five years saving and moved into a converted farmhouse in West Yorkshire this month.
In addition to her work with the Spice Girls, Mel had built her fortune back up, gaining lucrative jobs on American television shows such as the US version of Strictly Come Dancing – Dancing with the Stars – and a judge on America’s Got Talent while living in Los Angeles.
She also appeared as a judge on The X Factor in the UK prior to moving back home for good.
Mel B has been contacted by MailOnline for comment.