Mel B's ex Stephen Belafonte is seen in the UK for the first time with daughter Madison, 12, amid his £4million defamation case against her after she revealed the trauma of their 'abusive' marriage which left her with PTSD
Stephen Belafonte was seen in the UK for the first time on Tuesday as he bonded with daughter Madison amid his £4million defamation case against ex-wife Mel B after she wrote publicly about their 'abusive relationship.
Stephen and Mel, both 49, were married from 2007 to 2017 and share daughter Madison, 12, together.
The Spice Girl has accused Stephen of physical and emotional abuse over the years, and claimed that financial abuse left her with just £700 to her name when they split.
Mel B previously shared her distraught after US courts ruled Madison must live with her father as she is an American citizen.
And brushing off the case, Stephen was all smiles as he larked around with Madison in a country estate outside London.
Stephen Belafonte, 49, was seen in the UK for the first time on Tuesday as he bonded with daughter Madison, 12, amid his £4million defamation case against ex-wife Mel B, also 49, after she wrote publicly about their 'abusive relationship
Stephen and Mel were married from 2007 to 2017 and share daughter Madison, 12, together
The Spice Girl has accused Stephen of physical and emotional abuse over the years, and claimed that financial abuse left her with just £700 to her name when they split (Pictured in 2016)
The father-daughter duo couldn't wipe the smile off their faces as they played with dogs, ducks and goats in the back garden.
A source told The Mirror on Monday that Stephen had arrived in the UK with plans to drop off his daughter at Mel's home - but that the singer did not want to speak with him.
The source said: 'Stephen is ploughing ahead with the court action but wants to keep things as amicable as possible for the sake of their daughter.
'He is happy to sit down and talk things through with Mel but she doesn't want to talk to him or see him.'
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', it was revealed in May.
Stephen 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'.
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.
Mel B previously shared her distraught after US courts ruled Madison must live with her father as she is an American citizen
And brushing off the million-pound case, Stephen was all smiles as he larked around with Madison in a country estate outside London
The father-daughter duo couldn't wipe the smile off their faces as they played with dogs, ducks and goats in the back garden
A source said on Monday that Stephen had arrived in the UK with plans to drop off his daughter at Mel's home - but that the singer did not want to speak with him
The source said: 'Stephen is ploughing ahead with the court action but wants to keep things as amicable as possible for the sake of their daughter'
It added: 'He is happy to sit down and talk things through with Mel but she doesn't want to talk to him or see him'
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', it was revealed in May
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 Stephen 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.'
'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.'
Stephen alleges that Mel began her 'long-brewing harassment' in 2017 with 'fraudulent' domestic violence claims, which he says these were eventually dismissed
Over the years, Mel B has accused him of physical, emotional, and financial abuse, claims he denies (Pictured in 2015)
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.
