Mel B claims ex Stephen Belafonte is running a pornography production company, could endanger their child

Mel B made another blockbuster claim in her wild divorce drama. Lawyers for the ex-Spice Girl appeared in a Los Angeles courtroom on Monday and accused estranged husband Stephen Belafonte of running a pornography production company that might endanger the couple's 5-year-old daughter. 

Ultimately, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Lawrence Riff disagreed, and ruled that after three weeks of no contact, Belafonte would be allowed two 4-hour monitored visits each week.

"The evidence will show that a large number of computers located in the possession of Mr. Belafonte shows he is involved in running pornographic sites," Mel B's lawyer Larry Bakman said.

"(Belafonte) is leasing various locations throughout the city for the filming of pornographic films," Bakman said after the judge issued a tentative order granting monitored visitation.

Mel B, whose real name is Melanie Brown, received full custody of their daughter when she was granted a domestic violence restraining order April 3.

"Based upon the offer of proof, the court is not persuaded that the minor biological child will be at any meaningful risk of harm during monitored visitation," Judge Riff said.

Belafonte's lawyer, Grace Jamra, called the new pornography allegations a "smear campaign" and said her client was willing to hire an off-duty or retired sheriff's deputy as his monitor.

The judge denied Belafonte's attempts to regain access to Brown's daughter from a prior relationship who was born after the singer started seeing Belafonte.

The hearing was the latest round in a divorce battle that's grabbed international headlines for its wild allegations.

In her filing for a restraining order, Brown claimed Belafonte strangled her and punched her during their marriage and told her to "die b----" as he blocked her from seeking help for a pill-based suicide attempt she immediately regretted.

She claimed he knocked up the nanny Lorraine Gilles and forced her into group sex. Last week, Gilles sued Brown for defamation claiming the British star actually seduced her. 

Gilles, now 26, claims she was just 18 when Brown and Belafonte plied her with booze and cajoled her into sex after they first met at a Hollywood bar in 2009.

The couple later hired Gilles as their nanny, and the German exchange student said Brown regularly engaged in consensual sex with her.

Gilles said her pregnancy was the result of a one night stand with a man she met at a bar, and that Brown helped through its termination.

Belafonte, meanwhile, has denied any physical abuse. He appeared in court Monday wearing a suit but let his lawyers do all the talking. 

Jamra said he hadn't seen his daughter with Brown for three weeks and worried the child might wonder if he'd abandoned her.

A trial to make the restraining order permanent is expected this summer. Brown's team said they want to call some 20 witnesses during a 15-day trial. 

"As I speak, we are developing new evidence," Bakman told Judge Riff. Jamra said she thought a week was more appropriate. "Murder trials are done in less than 15 days," Jamra said. "We believe 20 witnesses is an absurdity."

Source:  New York Daily News