Britney loses custody as fails court orders-lawyer

NEW YORK, Oct 2 (Reuters) Disgraced pop princess Britney Spears lost custody of her two children because she did not comply with previous orders made by the court, her lawyer told celebrity magazine People.

Her ex-husband Kevin Federline was ordered yesterday to take sole custody of Sean Preston, 2, and Jayden James, 1, ''until further order of the court'' after almost a year of erratic behavior by the singer.

Since separating from Federline last November, Spears, 25, has been in and out of rehab, photographed without underwear, shaved her head and struggled to stage a comeback.

Los Angeles Superior Court Commissioner Scott Gordon did not give a reason for his decision in a written ruling.

But he was the same judge who two weeks earlier ordered Spears to undergo random drug testing and to hire a parenting coach after finding evidence of ''habitual, frequent and continuous use of controlled substances and alcohol.'' Four days after that hearing, Spears was charged with hit-and-run and driving without a valid license in relation to an accident in a parking lot in August.

Spears's attorney, Sorrell Trope, told People magazine that they were not able to prove compliance.

''Specifically the judge ordered that by 1000 hrs local time yesterday morning, both parties show valid California driving licenses. I've been unable to produce evidence of that,'' he said.

Trope said another reason behind the judge's temporary custody ruling ''was a claim by Mr Federline's attorney that she had not complied with a previous order the court had made - before I came on board (as lawyer) -- about having a random drug and alcohol test.'' ''There's no evidence that she actually failed a test,'' he added.

Another hearing is set for tomorrow.

Representatives for Spears and Federline were not immediately available for comment.

REUTERS RS MIR KP2023