Spice video case settled

The latest Spice Girls related legal battle is over.

Today, a British judge ruled that a video collection of the Spice Girls in their pre-fame days belonged to the producer and director of the films, the BBC reports.

The four video tapes were part of the assets of Rave Productions, which went under in 1996 and a judged decided that director Neil Davies and Helen Bowers, the widow of producer Matthew Bowers were the owners.

The case began when Steve Newman and John Gaudino, two former friends of the director and shareholders in Rave, insisted that they deserved a share in the recordings.

The judge said he felt "uneasy" about evidence by Newman (who is currently in jail for importing drugs) and that although he felt Gaudino was a better witness, he still seemed "over anxious to act as an advocate in his own cause."

In the end, the judge upheld Davies' claim that he, Newman and Gaudino did not have a partnership while the videos were being shot.

They told the court that Rave Productions was the continuation of another partnership between them which was in existence when the video was shot.

The four tapes could possibly be worth millions of dollars. The BBC says they show the five Spice Girls -- Posh, Ginger, Scary, Sporty and Baby -- singing in three locations before they became a top-selling pop act in 1996 with their single "Wannabe".

-- AllPop