Pop superstar Britney Spears in under police investigation after being accused of attacking a staff member in a row at her California home.
The singer allegedly slapped a mobile phone out of her employee’s hands during a confrontation, and could face a misdemeanour battery charge as a result of the incident.
Britney denies the allegation, and her lawyer Mathew S Rosengart characterised it as “overblown sensational tabloid fodder”.
“(It is) nothing more than a manufactured ‘he said, she said’ regarding a cell phone, with no striking and obviously no injury whatsoever”, he argued.
“Anyone can make an accusation, but this should have been closed immediately”, said Mr Rosengart.
“To its credit, the Sheriff’s Office itself has acknowledged that the incident was classified as a ‘very minor misdemeanour…’ and confirmed ‘there were no injuries’.”
Sherrif’s deputies in Ventura County, California, were called to Britney’s home at around 10.25am on Monday (16th) , and have now sent a file to prosecutors to decide if criminal charges should follow.
Britney is currently embroiled in a battle to end her father Jamie’s control over her personal life and finances, through a court-ordered conservatorship which has been in place for the last 13 years.
The Oops I did it Again singer has claimed the legal arrangement is “abusive” and compared herself to a “sex slave”, and is refusing to perform again until her father is removed from his role in her life.
Last week, Mr Spears agreed to step down as his daughter’s conservator and suggested he would participate in an “orderly transition” to a new legal arrangement.
