Mel B’s ex Stephen Belafonte holds mocktail party for their daughter Madison’s 9th birthday in LA

They’re locked in a bitter custody battle over their daughter. 

And on Saturday, Melanie Brown’s ex Stephen Belafonte, 45, doted on their daughter Madison as he held a girly mocktail party for her 9th birthday at the Sugar Factory in LA, California.

The youngster – who spent lockdown with her father – celebrated with her friends, who joined together to dunk Stephen’s face in a huge bowl of ice cream. 

Happy birthday! On Saturday, Melanie Brown’s ex Stephen Belafonte, 45, held a girly mocktail party for their daughter Madison’s 9th birthday at the Sugar Factory in LA, California

Mel B’s daughter looked delighted as she shared a table of colourful treats with her pals, and looked amazed as the waitress made her drink smoke, while Stephen recorded the magic on his phone.

Wearing a mint green floral dress and a pink ‘Birthday Girl’ sash, Maddie looked adorable for her special day and was surprised when a huge bowl of ice cream was brought to the table.

Maddie kissed her dad as a sign of gratitude, before removing her gem-encrusted tiara so he and her friends could dunk her face in the bowl.

She happily returned the favour, covering Stephen’s face in the sticky dessert as she and her pals pushed his face into the dish. 

Cute! Maddie kissed her dad as a sign of gratitude after a huge bowl of ice cream was brought to the table with celebratory sparklers

Adorable: Wearing a mint green floral dress and a pink 'Birthday Girl' sash, Maddie looked adorable for her special day

Cute! Maddie kissed her dad as a sign of gratitude after a huge bowl of ice cream was brought to the table with celebratory sparklers 

Fun times! The youngster - who spent lockdown with her father - celebrated with her friends, who joined together to dunk Stephen's face in a huge bowl of ice cream

Fun times! The youngster – who spent lockdown with her father – celebrated with her friends, who joined together to dunk Stephen’s face in a huge bowl of ice cream

Birthday babe: Maddie was in fits of laughter after having her face dunked in ice cream

Birthday babe: Maddie was in fits of laughter after having her face dunked in ice cream

Fun with friends: Stephen filmed Maddie's reaction to the surprised which he'd organised

Fun with friends: Stephen filmed Maddie’s reaction to the surprised which he’d organised

Magic! Mel B's daughter looked amazed as the waitress made her drink smoke

Smokey: The little girl clearly enjoyed the unusual mocktail

Magic! Mel B’s daughter looked amazed as the waitress made her drink smoke

The producer shares custody of little Maddie with Spice Girl ex-wife Mel B – who has now quit Los Angeles and relocated to her childhood home of Leeds. 

It’s thought that Mel, 44, hasn’t seen Madison since her daughter visited her in Yorkshire in December, before they were separated by the pandemic.  

Taking to Instagram in April, Stephen shared a snap of him cuddling his daughter, captioning the post: ‘I know that this coronavirus has brought a lot of unneeded emotional, financial, and physical stress into all of our lives…

‘But I think the thing to do with these trying times is really focus on the things that can be a blessing in disguise like me getting to be able to quarantine with the love of my life, my little Maddie! 

Getting stuck in: The birthday girl closed her eyes as she attempted to inhale some of the smoke, while wearing her gem-encrusted tiara

Getting stuck in: The birthday girl closed her eyes as she attempted to inhale some of the smoke, while wearing her gem-encrusted tiara

Surprise! Maddie was surprised when a huge bowl of ice cream was brought to the table

Happy girl: The youngster couldn't wipe the smile off her face

Surprise!  Maddie was surprised when a huge bowl of ice cream was brought to the table

Dunkin' daddy! Maddie and a friend pushed her father's face into the ice cream

Dunkin’ daddy! Maddie and a friend pushed her father’s face into the ice cream

Making memories: Stephen flashed a wide smile after having his face pushed into the ice cream by his daughter

Making memories: Stephen flashed a wide smile after having his face pushed into the ice cream by his daughter

Making memories: Stephen flashed a wide smile after having his face pushed into the ice cream by his daughter

Delighted: Mel B's daughter looked delighted as she shared a table of treats with her pals

Delighted: Mel B’s daughter looked delighted as she shared a table of treats with her pals

‘What blessings have come out of this horrible event for you? #quarantine #stayfocused #stayhealthy #timetorecharge #priorities.’ 

Mel is now living in the UK after being reunited with her mother Andrea following her split from husband Stephen in 2017, ten years after they exchanged vows. 

In December she wrote about the pain of sending her daughter back to Los Angeles after she visited her new home in Leeds for a week, and shared an image of a handwritten letter from Madison on Instagram.

Fun-filled fay: The father and daughter roared with laughter

Fun-filled fay: The father and daughter roared with laughter

Fun-filled fay: The father and daughter roared with laughter 

And another one: Maddie watched with anticipation as another mocktail was poured for her

And another one: Maddie watched with anticipation as another mocktail was poured for her

Getting involved: Maddie removed her tiara so her dad and her friends could dunk her face in the bowl of ice cream

Getting involved: Maddie removed her tiara so her dad and her friends could dunk her face in the bowl of ice cream

Getting involved: Maddie removed her tiara so her dad and her friends could dunk her face in the bowl of ice cream

Getting it on camera: Stephen was sure to capture the special moments on his mobile phone

Getting it on camera: Stephen was sure to capture the special moments on his mobile phone

The message, written in red crayon, said her mum was ‘loving’, ‘funny’ and ‘beautiful’ and she misses her when they are apart.

Alongside the image of the note, Mel reflected on the December week with her daughter and how her ‘abusive ex’ is keeping them apart.

She wrote: ‘This time last week I walked around winter wonderland with my 3 kids having the best Xmas fun ever, my youngest Madison with me for 7 amazing days,she wrote me this on the plane going back to LA,as I read this over and over again the pain I feel is unbearable.  

‘I don’t no when me or her sisters are gonna see her again, my abuser STILL manages to abuse me threw the courts and on a daily basis threw a ‘court appointed’ email that allows him access to me for him to say whenever whatever he wants.

‘I share this because I no other mothers are going threw exactly the same thing right now, just no your not alone I feel your pain,and I won’t stop talking and fighting to get justice for us all and our kids.

‘#stopabuse #yournotalone #talktosomeonetoday @womens_aid please be kind to people like me in these situation as you have no idea what me/they are going threw.’ [sic]

The upload came after Mel said she’s been struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder her marriage broke down in 2016. 

Heart-wrenching: In December Mel wrote about the pain of sending her daughter back to Los Angeles after she visited her new home in Leeds for a week, and shared an image of a handwritten letter from Madison on Instagram

Heart-wrenching: In December Mel wrote about the pain of sending her daughter back to Los Angeles after she visited her new home in Leeds for a week, and shared an image of a handwritten letter from Madison on Instagram

Devastated: Alongside the image of the note, Mel reflected on the December week with her daughter and how her 'abusive ex' is keeping them apart

Devastated: Alongside the image of the note, Mel reflected on the December week with her daughter and how her 'abusive ex' is keeping them apart

Devastated: Alongside the image of the note, Mel reflected on the December week with her daughter and how her ‘abusive ex’ is keeping them apart

Angel – Mel’s 13-year old daughter with Hollywood legend Eddie Murphy – also shared a snap of Mel cuddling sister Madison on a train Instagram and wrote: ‘No child should be separated from their mother. No child should be separated from their sisters.

‘No child should be torn away from family. No child should lie about how they feel. No child should be denied communication to their family consistently.’

Mel and Stephen divorced the following year and spent months battling it out in a nasty court fight before finally reaching a settlement.  

The estranged former couple currently share joint custody of Madison following their acrimonious divorce in late 2017.

Happy days: Mel with Madison (L) and Angel (R) during Madison's trip to the United Kingdom in November 2019

Happy days: Mel with Madison (L) and Angel (R) during Madison’s trip to the United Kingdom in November 2019

Apart: The Spice Girl is living in her native Britain after leaving her job as a judge on America's Got Talent last year. Madison is living in LA with her father

Apart: The Spice Girl is living in her native Britain after leaving her job as a judge on America’s Got Talent last year. Madison is living in LA with her father

However, in early February, TMZ reported that Belafonte filed for full custody of the the youngster claiming her mother had ‘all but abandoned’ her after returning to her native UK to live. 

The former Scary Spice is also reported to be wanting to obtain full custody of Madison as she plans to remain in Britain.  

In addition to Madison, Mel B is mom to daughters Phoenix, 21, whose father is her first husband Jimmy Gulzar, and Angel, 13, whose father is Hollywood star Eddie Murphy. 

Meanwhile, Stephen also shares 14-year-old daughter Giselle with real estate professional Nicole Contreras.  

Issues: The estranged former couple currently share joint custody of Madison following their acrimonious divorce in late 2017 (Pictured in August 2016)

Issues: The estranged former couple currently share joint custody of Madison following their acrimonious divorce in late 2017 (Pictured in August 2016)