US pop star Britney Spears has launched a blistering attack on the "abusive" conservatorship that has controlled her life for 13 years.
She said she was traumatised and cried every day, telling a judge in Los Angeles: “I just want my life back”.
Spears who is now 39, also said she had been denied the right to have more children and was put on the psychiatric drug lithium against her wishes.
Her father was granted control over her affairs by court order in 2008. The order was granted after the star was put in hospital amid concerns over her mental health, and it has been extended for more than a decade since.
The special hearing recently was the first time Spears has spoken in open court about her case. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Brenda Penny thanked Spears for her “courageous” words during the proceedings.
It followed much speculation about the pop star’s situation, with fans eagerly combing her social media output for clues. A fan-led movement, known as #FreeBritney, has campaigned for her legal freedom for years.
Spears delivered an impassioned address which lasted for more than 20 minutes. She also added that she wished she could stay on the phone “forever” to avoid returning to her life where she was surrounded by people who said no to her.
Spears told the court she wanted the conservatorship to end and described the arrangement as “embarrassing and humiliating”.
