Mel B : “MONSTER” star-hubby Stephen Belafonte beat me black and blue

Stephen Belafonte responded to the allegations in a videotaped interview with paparazzi

Former Spice Girl Melanie Brown, aka Mel B, has been granted a restraining order against her estranged husband Stephen Belafonte, claiming that she and her three children are in fear for their lives.

In court filings obtained by TMZ, Brown alleges a long history of physical abuse and psychological terror. The British pop star claims Belafonte’s abuse would often coincide with an accomplishment in her life or career — like the time he allegedly choked her and slammed her into hardwood floor as she was preparing for her Dancing with the Stars finale. In another case, he allegedly punched her in the face and split her lip as she was about to tape a segment of The X Factor with Usher, with Belafonte accusing his wife of “flirting and f%#%” Usher.

Brown also claims that her estranged husband extorted her into having threesomes with other women, threatening to release recordings of sex acts with him if she didn’t comply. She also says he impregnated the family’s nanny, and first suggested that the couple raise the baby together with the nanny before insisting that she get an abortion.

According to TMZ, Belafonte has a previous domestic violence conviction against another woman. Brown reportedly claimed that Belafonte had a gun at home, although he is legally prohibited from owning a firearm as a result of the conviction.

Belafonte was ordered to move out of the family’s Hollywood Hills home, and spoke to TMZ photographers on Monday when he went there to retrieve some belongings. He told the paparazzi he was “shocked” by the allegations and said that he and Mel B were “friends” two weeks go. He suggested that “someone must be making a lot of money off of this … mainly the lawyers.”