'My children are not safe with Tommy Lee'

Explosive documents filed by Pamela Anderson at a Los Angeles court make astonishing allegations about the violent treatment she claims she and their two young sons endured at her former husband's hands.

The former Baywatch actress accuses Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee of subjecting their children to physical and mental abuse, including an incident in which he allegedly dangled his son in front of his " temperamental" 130lb rottweiller. The allegations, vigorously denied by Lee, emerged in new legal documents after Anderson filed a court motion to gain full custody rights to their two sons, Brandon, five and Dylan, three.

In the papers, she claims Lee severely beat her as she breast-fed Dylan when he was seven months old; made their children watch disturbing television images of the World Trade Center attacks as well as violent programmes and videos; took their "traumatised" sons on a boating holiday shortly after a young child drowned at Brandon's birthday party encouraged the boys to swear and call their mother a "freak" after he became jealous of her new relationship with musician Kid Rock.

In the papers filed at Los Angeles Supreme Court Anderson, 34, says she wants a judge to rule that Lee, 39, must undergo a psychiatric evaluation. She alleges she had been forced to begin the bitter legal battle for her children's emotional safety.

In the papers, she says: "In the past few months Tommy has embarked on a campaign of threats, harassment and a general lack of cooperation. Tommy's behaviour has deteriorated to such an extent that I am afraid for the emotional well-being of the children while in his care."

The papers continue: "Given Tommy's documented violence towards me, for which he was incarcerated, I believe the court should award me sole legal custody of the children."

The couple married in 1995 and divorced three years later. Lee was jailed for four months in 1998 for attacking his wife - an assault detailed in the court papers, where she alleges Lee was jealous of the attention she gave the children.

"I tried to reason and explained it was necessary for me to attend to the needs of our babies and I could not focus entirely on him. This did not please Tommy, who erupted in a jealous rage," the papers say.

"I was holding Dylan in my arms while breast-feeding him, when Tommy physically attacked me with complete disregard for my safety and, more importantly, for the safety of our children. Tommy kicked me violently in the back several times and in the buttocks. He was completely out of control."

Anderson claims that his behaviour has grown worse since she began a relationship with Kid Rock, who is referred to in the papers as Bob Richie. "I suspect Tommy's jealousy over my new relationship has sparked his recent anger, harassment and breakdown of communication and co-parenting." Her sons would return from visits to their father and called her a "freak", she alleges. "On one occasion the boys said their father had told them that he used to be friends with Mr Richie but now hates him because 'he stole mommy away from us'.

"I cannot imagine any reason for telling such a thing to the children other than to turn them against Mr Richie and me and to torture them emotionally." Lee is a poor role model for the boys, she claims. "Tommy freely uses disrespectful and obscene language and does so in front of our children. The children come home after their visits and use inappropriate language and swear words. Her sons no longer wanted to visit their father, she claims.

"Often when they come home they suffer from nightmares for days. They typically scream, cry and cling to me when they know they have to go to Tommy's house and tell me they do not want to go. Brandon has told me that Tommy hurts him and pinches him and Dylan. Dylan has told me that he hates me for making him go to his father's."

Lee's publicist, Beth Katz at Dan Lores Communications NY, was unavailable for comment.

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