Court sees video of Britney 'jumping red light'

A video believed to show Britney Spears going through a red light was submitted to Los Angeles Superior Court, in the latest piece of evidence entered in the child-custody battle between the pop star and ex-husband Kevin Federline.

Mark Kaplan, Federline’s lawyer, said he could not comment after the closed-door hearing before Superior Court Commissioner Scott Gordon yesterday, because Mr Gordon had issued a sealed order.

“I can’t tell you what was discussed, I can’t tell you what was in the papers, I can’t even tell you what was in the order,” Mr Kaplan said.

The celebrity website TMZ.com reported that the video showed the troubled 25-year-old singer jumping a red light at a Hollywood Hills junction while driving with the couple’s two young sons in the back seat of her car.

The paparazzi video, posted on November 9 on the website, shows Ms Spears appearing to jump the red light, making a left turn in front of stationary oncoming traffic while cameras flash and someone yells: “Red light, red light!”

An unidentified witness who had been subpoenaed also appeared briefly at today’s court hearing. His testimony was postponed.

The case is due back in court on November 26.

Last month, Mr Gordon ruled that Ms Spears could have sleepovers with her two boys, Sean Preston, two, and Jayden James, one, if she had regular drug tests, childproofed her home and ensured the children were buckled into their car seats when she took them on a drive.

He had previously suspended Ms Spears’ custody rights, ruling that she engaged in “habitual, frequent and continuous use of controlled substances and alcohol”.

Driving has been a continuing problem for Spears. Last year she was photographed driving with Sean Preston on her lap and authorities visited her home to investigate.

Last month, she pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanour charge of driving without a valid licence. A misdemeanour hit-and-run charge from an August car park crash was dismissed after she paid an undisclosed amount to the car’s owner.

Spears and Federline, 29, were married in October 2004. The two have wrangled in court over custody issues since they split. Their divorce was final in July.