Tony Barretto, 28, arrived at the Los Angeles court yesterday with a lawyer but Family Court Commissioner Scott Gordon held only a brief open session before clearing the courtroom of everyone but attorneys for Britney and K-Fed to privately discuss unsealing documents in the ongoing case.

Outside court, Barretto’s attorney Gloria Allred issued a statement calling him a "key and secret witness".

"We are shocked that Ms Spears’ attorneys chose not to cross-examine our client as to the substance of his declaration," Allred said. "Our client was prepared to testify on issues of nudity by Ms Spears, drug use, and safety issues involving the children post-rehab."

The singer married aspiring rapper Kevin in October 2004. She filed for divorce last November and the divorce became official on July 30. The two have joint custody of sons Sean Preston, two, and Jayden James, one.

Britney hired Barretto when she left a rehabilitation facility in March but fired him on May 17 because "he didn’t hear her when she asked him to pick up her hat", Allred said.

Laura Wasser, an attorney who represented Britney until yesterday, said Barretto was a disgruntled employee.


Britney fallout continues - Sept 12 2007
As the fallout continues after Britney’s lacklustre performance at the VMAs, the star has been spotted boarding a plane out of Las Vegas, reportedly looking ’distraught’ and ’in tears’.

And the 25-year-old was snapped getting out of her car in the city without any underwear again, according to Hollywood Extra.

Meanwhile the US rumour mill has continued to go into overdrive following the star’s comeback failure, with The New York Post claiming she refused to do the more complicated dance numbers, which caused her worried dancers to ask friends "to pray for them".

The paper also blames the fiasco on some backstage boozing, with the pop princess tossing back margaritas after showing up late to rehearsals the day before.

It all apparently went wrong for Britney in the hair and wardrobe department too, with celeb hairstylist Ken Paves parting ways with the star just before the show.

He told Extra that while he went to the Palms Casino Resort, he "made the professional decision not to do her hair for the VMAs".

That left Britney doing her own coiffure, before reportedly refusing to wear her stylist’s choice of clothing and instead dressing herself in black sparkly bra and pants set.


Britney just ’plain nervous’ - Sept 12 2007
Britney Spears’s lacklustre performance at the MTV Video Music Awards in Las Vegas has apparently been put down to nerves.

With everything from the star’s outfit to her weight being criticised, People.com reports that the troubled singer merely struggled to cope with all the pressure.

"Britney was supposed to wear a matching corset that she opted out of wearing at the last minute," a source told the website.

"She was just plain nervous because of all the hype and she’s embarrassed."

"She was extremely nervous," another source agreed.

"It’s been a while since she’s done this, and she was performing in front of all her peers, on live TV. She looked disappointed backstage after the performance."

The insider said Brit shone in rehearsals.

"People who were at rehearsal saw something else. It was good. It really was."