Mel B is BANNED from taking her daughter to England for Christmas

A judge refused to allow Mel B to take her daughter Madison to England for Christmas Thursday after listening to claims that the eight year-old was ‘traumatized’ by her mother the last time she was in the UK.

‘I’m not going to put this kid in harm’s way,’ Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mark Juhas said at a hearing where Mel’s ex husband Stephen Belafonte – Madison’s dad – vehemently objected to Mel’s plan to spend the holiday in England.

Mel B – real name Melanie Brown – was not in court Thursday but her attorney Taline Boyamian told Judge Juhas that the singer would be arriving in Los Angeles later this evening to pick up Madison and her other daughter, Phoenix, to take them back to the UK for Christmas.

Boyamian argued that under the couple’s custody agreement, Mel is allowed to take Madison on international trips and that Belafonte originally gave his okay to her Christmas trip to England but later changed his mind and said no.

Belafonte’s lawyer, Michael Hanasab, told the court that the last time Madison went to see her mother in UK last Thanksgiving, the child’s therapist reported that when she returned to the U.S. she was ‘traumatized and begged and pleaded not to see her mother.

Mel B’s ex-husband Stephen Belafonte (pictured) claims their daughter Madison, eight, suffered ‘verbal and psychological abuse’ from her mother. A judge Thursday refused to let the girl travel to England after hearing how she was ‘traumatized’ by Mel B the last time she was in the UK

‘To have Madison travel to the UK right now is not in the child’s best interests. (Brown) has elected to abandon this minor child and she has caused this minor child great stress,’ Hanasab said.

Hanasab – who said that Mel should instead visit Madison in Los Angeles for the Christmas Holiday, added. ‘There is no safeguard against what took place in London (last Thanksgiving).’

After the judge’s ruling, Belafonte – sporting a beard and wearing a grey suit and black tie – told DailyMail.com: ‘I’m very happy that Madison will spend Christmas with me here in Los Angeles. It’ll be special – but then, every day is special with my daughter.’

In court documents obtained by DailyMail.com, Belafonte claims Madison is afraid Mel B would hurt her.

Boyamian told DailyMail.com: ‘Of course she (Mel B) will be disappointed. Maybe she’ll change her plans and stay in LA for Christmas but I don’t know what she’ll do. I haven’t spoken to her yet.’

Judge Juhas also refused Mel’s request that Belafonte stop contact between Madison and the child’s former nanny Lorraine Gilles whom Belafonte described as a ‘friend’ who he ‘trusts unequivocally.’ 

During the hearing Belafonte told the court about a new video in which Mel B is pictured naked and talking about her daughter being abused. 

In a further twist in the ongoing saga between the divorced couple Belafonte claims to have seen the video showing Mel making a disturbing ‘false statement’ about Rusty Updegraff, Mel’s former friend who regularly helped look after Madison and her other daughter Angel, 12.

Updegraff was fired by Mel following an argument in August, 2018 and he later revealed in court Mel was an alcoholic and was abusive to her children. 

Belafonte, 44, states in the LA Superior Court filing, obtained exclusively by DailyMail.com that he has seen a video in which his ex-wife says that she fired Updegraff because, she claimed, he abused Madison.

But Belafonte says that she did not go to police or child services or inform him about the claim.

‘Had this been true, Petitioner would have gone to the police, child services, etc.

‘Clearly, Petitioner is willing to make up wild and false allegations to suit her needs and agenda. ‘It is sick and disturbing that Petitioner would make up such despicable and disgusting lies about our daughter to suit her agenda – whatever agenda that may be at the time.’

In footnotes on the legal filing it states that Mel is ‘completely naked’ and appears to be ‘under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol in the video’.

DailyMail.com has seen the video in question and 44-year-old Mel can be clearly identified and heard.

It’s understood she made the call to another employee during the day while naked, standing in a swimming pool while on vacation staying at a private villa in Palm Springs, California in August 2018.

There is no suggestion that any of the claims Mel makes in the video are true and there’s no indication she ever notified the authorities of any incident relating to Updegraff. 

Belafonte claims Madison told him that she was afraid because ‘Mommy wants me to get you in trouble’ and that Mel B asks her for dirt on her father

The hearing came after Belafonte accused the Spice Girl of ‘verbal and psychological abuse’ of the child and says Madison is afraid her mother would hurt her, paperwork obtained by DailyMail.com states. 

Belafonte said that he is concerned for Mel’s mental health and her mental stability around their daughter.

He added: ‘I had to deal with these same lies during this divorce case, I do not want Petitioner’s mental instability and lies to ruin the life of our daughter.’

Belafonte cited the shocking incident in the papers as an example of Mel’s behavior after Madison told him that she was afraid because ‘Mommy wants me to get you in trouble.’

He said: ‘I can only surmise that Petitioner is trying to get information about Madison or me, in an effort to further her agenda and goal of continuing to fabricate lies about me, both in the case and the public.’

Belafonte states that after Madison returned from a two week trip to the UK to see Mel in late November she was upset.

‘After the hugs and greetings and while Madison was settling in, I asked Madison if she had fun on her trip,’ he states.

‘To my utter shock and surprise, Madison burst into tears and began sobbing uncontrollably.

‘I tried my best to calm Madison down so that I could understand what she was saying.

‘I was heartbroken for Madison. Madison told me that she was scared of her mother, that she did not want to go back to England.’

Belafonte says Mel – who he claims requested a ‘bogus’ domestic violence restraining order prior to their divorce – was quizzing their daughter ‘day after day’ trying to extract information about his life, his treatment of Madison and any girls he’s dating.

He claims Madison told him that her mother would make her sit in a dark room and repeatedly question her over and over and demand answers from her.

‘Madison told me she told her mother some things that were untruthful – just to make her mother stop questioning her,’ Belafonte states.

Belafonte claims he made an emergency appointment to take Madison to see her therapist Karin Manger, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) on December 1.

Ms Manger and attorneys for both Belafonte and Mel all participated in a joint conference call and Belafonte claims Ms Manger did not think Madison should go back to the UK so soon after the last trip, especially because the girl became distraught in her office.

Belafonte and Mel split in March 2017, finalizing their divorce in December 2017 in a public and nasty battle

Belafonte claims that Madison’s therapist agrees with him that seeing her mother in the UK would cause further harm. Madison (far left) is pictured with Mel B and her siblings last Christmas 

Belafonte also claims Mel has spoken to Madison several times over the phone since the last trip and after many of the calls Madison ‘asked me to ‘promise’ her that she will not have to return to England this month.’

He added: ‘I believe the (sic) Madison will be further harmed and emotionally and psychologically abused if she is forced to travel back to the UK to be with her mother over Winter Break. In fact, I have been informed that Madison will suffer immediate harm if she is forced to travel to the UK. I have never seen Madison as distraught as she was after her return from London.’

Belafonte’s claim is at odds with Mel’s account of Madison’s trip, however.

After Madison flew back to LA the star uploaded a note apparently penned by Madison onto Instagram.

In the letter, written in red crayon, Madison wrote that her mom was ‘loving’, ‘funny’ and ‘beautiful’ alongside sharing she misses her when they are apart.

Alongside the image of the note, Mel reflected on the past week with her daughter and how her ‘abusive ex’ is keeping them apart.

In his filing Belafonte also addressed Mel’s ex parte request to stop Madison having any contact with Lorraine Gilles, the couple’s former nanny who has been caring for Madison from time to time.

Belafonte said: ‘It is only because Petitioner publicly defamed Ms. Gilles after our separation and Ms. Gilles prevailed in extracting a multi-million dollar settlement from Petitioner due to Petitioner’s false allegations and lies that Petitioner now is attempting to deny me or Madison the right to have any contact with Ms. Gilles.’

Gilles sued Mel for defamation after she branded the German nanny a ‘prostitute’ and home-wrecker’ in court papers and following a two year court battle the case was settled.

This is the first time it has been revealed that Gilles won a multi-million dollar settlement.

Belafonte has had ‘sole physical custody’ of Madison ever since Mel returned to the UK in the summer.

He added: ‘I simply want this to all end and I want to move on with my life but Petitioner will stop at nothing to continue to harass and abuse me through this legal process.’

In November Belafonte slammed Mel’s court request to move Madison permanently to the UK and said: ‘No way, not gonna happen.’

Belafonte claims to have seen a video showing Mel making a disturbing ‘false statement’ about Rusty Updegraff (right), Mel’s former friend who regularly helped look after Madison and her other daughter Angel, 12

In his filing Belafonte also addressed Mel’s request to stop Madison having any contact with Lorraine Gilles (center) the couple’s former nanny who has been caring for Madison from time to time

In an exclusive interview with DailyMail.com he claimed the Spice Girl had only called Madison three times since leaving the US, forgot to call on her birthday and didn’t even bother sending a birthday gift.

And he said nothing should have stopped Mel from flying over to LA to see her daughter.

Instead, Mel jet-setted around the world visiting Capri, Italy, for friend Heidi Klum’s wedding, holidaying in Phuket, Thailand and soaking up the sun on the beach on Nevis Island in the Caribbean.

A rep for Mel B has repeatedly told DailyMail.com that the star would not be commenting because the matter is subject to a child custody case.

The rep also returned a no comment when asked about the video in which Mel appears to make false allegations.

Belafonte and Mel split in March 2017, finalizing their divorce in December 2017.

Mel was granted a temporary Domestic Violence Restraining order against her ex after accusing him of all manner of violence and sexual abuse in court papers.

Subsequently, at the 11th hour prior to a trial, Mel dismissed her case as Belafonte was ready to present evidence in court contrary to her claims.

And in Wednesday’s court filing Belafonte again reiterated that the allegations against him were ‘false’ and ‘outright lies’ and that because of the ‘Partial Stipulated Judgment’ they later reached – which say the restraining order dropped – he never had the chance to formally rebut Mel’s ‘lies’.