ON TOXIC £48M DIVORCE BATTLE
SUNDAY MIRROR His former girlfriend may prove to be Mel’s vital ally
THE battered former girlfriend of Stephen Belafonte today claims she lived in constant fear of the “monster” and is now supporting Mel B in her divorce battle.
The ex-Spice Girl has formed an unlikely alliance with Nicole Contreras.
Nicole, 41, says she “still carries the scars” of her ordeal at the hands of Stephen, which saw him convicted for assaulting her in 2010.
Now the pair have bonded, with Nicole becoming a key ally to Mel who claims she too was a victim.
“Mel reached out to me,” Nicole told a friend. “And we have been in constant touch ever since. Mel clearly felt she was all alone – but I have been there, others have too.
“I still carry the scars inside that Stephen inflicted on me.”
BRUISES
“On the outside, it may have looked like Mel had a strong marriage. But I could see he was abusing her, just like he did to me. I saw the bruises, the cuts, the scratches. I too suffered the same. He’s a monster.”
Sources close to Mel say any testament from Nicole could help prove her claims – that Belafonte has vehemently denied – and prevent him from taking part of her £48million fortune.
Last week a Los Angeles judge granted mum-of-three Mel a restraining order against Belafonte, who she claimed in court papers subjected her to 10 years of beatings and sexual exploitation.
She accused him of forcing her to take part in threesomes that he secretly recorded and allegedly threatened to release them if she ever left him.
In her application for the order, the Leeds-born singer also alleged he made their nanny, Lorraine Gilles, 26, pregnant and ordered her to have an abortion.
On Friday a Los Angeles court reportedly granted a second order, banning Belafonte from distributing any sex tapes, photographs or other sexually explicit material. Mel’s 56-page court application details allegations of abuse similar to the treatment Nicole claims she received.
Nicole claims Belafonte, 41, once attacked her so badly she was forced to lock herself in the bathroom. When police arrived, he was charged with battery and vandalising her phone.
Court papers accused Belafonte of “willfully and unlawfully” using violence against Nicole. Nicole says she was abused like Mel On stats for domestic violence in England
Belafonte pleaded “no contest” to the battery charge, which the judge stated was the same as a guilty plea. The vandalism charge, relating to spitting in the mobile, was dropped.
Belafonte later claimed he did not realise he was admitting battering Nicole, saying he was “confused and stressed”. His plea was rejected.
He could have faced up to a year in prison, but he was let off with a suspended sentence and probation.
He was also ordered to attend a domestic violence programme and stay away from Nicole. She stood by him for a further two years. “She was frightened to leave,” said a friend.
CHEATINGC
They even eventually split in 2007 shortly after it was claimed he began cheating on her with Mel. A friend said:sa “Both Nikki and Mel were given theth same treatment. He swept them b both off their feet and then showed his true colours. “He was so controlling. He demanded to know where Nikki was and who she was with every second. You could he hear him screaming abuse down the ph phone at her.” Drink alle allegedly played a large part in Belafonte’sBelafon volatile temper. Nicole toldto pals he drank six nights a week, downing up to 20 bottles of beer and shots of whisky. She claims she found him cheatingcheati on her with another womanwoma before then discovering he waswa seeing Mel. NicoleNico claims he told her: “I’ve metm someone who is very famousfamou and very rich and wants to marry me but if you have me back then I’ll forget it’. Nicole’sNic friend said: ”He would wouldn’t say which celebrity it was butb said, ‘She is so rich she could change my life’. “Nikki“Nik knew then she had reached the end of the line with him. If onlyo Mel had spoken to Nikki when shes first met Stephen. “All the painpa she has suffered, the humiliation c could have been avoided. Leopards don’tdo change their spots and BelafonteBelafont won’t either.”