Britney Spears won’t face charges in battery case over housekeeper incident

Ventura County District attorney said that a misdemeanour battery charge was declined due to ‘insufficient evidence that a crime had occurred’

Britney Spears will not be charged with any crimes related to a dispute battle with her housekeeper, prosecutors have said.

The 39-year-old pop star’s housekeeper called the authorities on 16 August alleging that she was confronted by Spears and that the singer then slapped her phone out of her hand.

The housekeeper, who was not hurt in the incident, phoned the police at the time, and then went to the sheriff’s office to file an official report.

Ventura County District’s Attorney Erik Nasarenko said in a statement on Wednesday (1 September) that a possible misdemeanour battery charge was declined due to “insufficient evidence that a crime had occurred”.

He further said that there was a “lack of injury to the housekeeper” or “of significant damage to the phone”.

According to the DA’s office, Spears’ housekeeper later reported that she had an argument with the “Gimme More” singer regarding the veterinary care of her dog.

In response, Spears’ new lawyer, Mathew Rosengart called the accusations “sensational tabloid fodder”.

“This is nothing more than an overblown alleged misdemeanor involving a ‘he said she said’ about a cell phone, with no striking and obviously no injury whatsoever. Anyone can make an accusation. This should have been closed immediately,” he continued in the statement.

Spears is currently attempting to remove her father, Jamie, from her conservatorship and has said she will not perform whilst he retains control over her in any capacity.

She has alleged that the conservatorship is “abusive” whilst her father has said be “willing to step down” from the position when “the time is right”.

The singer has accused her father of “ruining” her life and “loved” to hear her in pain.

Jamie Spears still contests his removal from the conservatorship and has urged the court overseeing the case not to rely on “false allegations” regarding his conduct.

On Tuesday (31 August), Rosengart claimed in court filings that the singer’s father wanted $2m in fees for his attorneys and experts handling the media in exchange for stepping down as her conservator.

He made the allegations in the 12-page court filing that stated: “Mr Spears’s blatant attempt to barter suspension and removal in exchange for approximately $2m in payments, on top of the millions already reaped from Ms Spears’s estate by Mr Spears and his associates, is a non-starter.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.