Britney Spears gets restraining order against former friend

Britney Spears has been granted a restraining order against a former confidante who she says has been harassing her family.

A judge ordered 44-year-old Sam Lutfi to stay at least 200 yards from Spears, her parents and her sons.

The restraining order petition says Lutfi has been sending harassing and threatening texts to Spears' family and disparaging them on social media and has been causing her severe mental trauma.

Britney Spears attends the 4th Hollywood Beauty Awards 2018 at Avalon Hollywood on February 25, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. [Photo: IC]

The Spears family has been in legal fights with Lutfi for years, a former friend of Spears who once said he was her manager.

She received a restraining order against him on similar grounds in 2009.

Lutfi's lawyer said in a statement that they are disappointed in the order, which is overly broad and violates Lutfi's constitutional rights.

(Story includes material sourced from AP)