Britney Spears' mother struggled with their recent court battle more than the popstar, says her father.
The 30-year-old 'X Factor' USA judge's father Jamie Spears has opened up about the family's recent victory against her former associate Sam Lutfi - whose defamation, battery and breach of contact case against the family was thrown out on Thursday - and said Lynne Spears found reliving their daughter's darkest days extremely painful.
The father-of-three, who still has legal control of his daughter via a conservatorship, told gossip website TMZ.com: "Yeah I think it was harder on Lynne than it was me or Britney because Britney and I have been in the trenches for a long time together and we knew what we had to bear. But I think Lynne relived it in having to watch it on the screens and stuff and all of the articles and stuff like that. I feel she took it the hardest of anyone in the family."
Jamie also hit back at speculation Britney is still in contact with Sam, who accused Jamie of threatening to kill him after assaulting him.
He said: "As far as I know and I know pretty well, I would have to say four years or five years. I really don't care what the tabloids say."