White nationalist Richard Spencer's wife, Nina Koupriianova, accused him of physically, emotionally and verbally abusing her, according to documents and exhibits filed in court as part of their divorce proceedings.

Ms Koupriianova said the abuse, which she documented in the form of transcribed conversations, emails, photographs, and even a conversation with the National Domestic Abuse Hotline, continued throughout the course of their eight-year marriage and included incidents that occurred while she was pregnant.

"Incidents of physical abuse include being hit, being grabbed, being dragged around by her hair, being held down in a manner causing bruising, and being prevented from calling for help," Ms Koupriianova alleged in a court brief filed in the case in Flathead County, Montana saying she had been "reluctant to call police or seek an order of protection for fear of further reprisal" by Mr Spencer. "Much of the abuse has occurred in the presence of the parties' children."

Mr Spencer is perhaps the most prominent white supremacist from the crop of racially motivated extremists who emerged into public view during the 2016 election and events such as the rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017.

Often quick to return a reporter's phone call or email, Mr Spencer has been readily covered by the media as the public face of the loose collection of political ideologies revolving around racism, sexism, anti-semitism, and racial purity that make up the so-called alt-right.

Ms Koupriianova's claims, which were first reported by Buzzfeed, paint a different portrait of Mr Spencer.

The couple were married in 2010; the first instance of alleged abuse occurred in 2011 when he "dragged her out of bed by my arms, legs, and hair, dragged me down the stairs, and threw me onto the couch," resulting in bruising, according to an exhibit listing all the incidents of abuse that she filed with the court.

In 2012, he smashed her head into the floor with her down on the ground, she wrote. In 2014, when she was four months pregnant with their first child, he "attacked" her by getting on top of her and holding her neck and jaw, she wrote in the exhibit.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 11 August 2020 French Prime Minister Jean Castex is helped by a member of staff to put a protective suit on prior to his visit at the CHU hospital in Montpellier AFP via Getty World news in pictures 10 August 2020 Locals harvest their potatoes as Mount Sinabung spews volcanic ash in Karo, North Sumatra province, Indonesia Antara Foto/Reuters World news in pictures 9 August 2020 Doves fly over the Peace Statue at Nagasaki Peace Park during the memorial ceremony held for the 75th anniversary of the atomic bombing EPA World news in pictures 8 August 2020 Anti-government protesters try to remove concrete wall that installed by security forces to prevent protesters reaching the Parliament square, during a protest against the political elites and the government after this week's deadly explosion in Beirut AP World news in pictures 7 August 2020 A protester throws a stone towards Israeli forces in the village of Turmus Aya, north of Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, following a march by Palestinians against the building of Israeli settlements AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 August 2020 A woman yells as soldiers block a road for French President Emmanuel Macron's visit the Gemmayzeh neighborhood. The area in Beirut suffered extensive damage from the explosion at the seaport AP World news in pictures 5 August 2020 Damage at the site of Tuesday's blast in Beirut's port area, Lebanon Reuters World news in pictures 4 August 2020 A large explosion in the Lebanese capital Beirut. The blast, which rattled entire buildings and broke glass, was felt in several parts of the city AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 August 2020 A general view shows the new road bridge in Genoa, Italy ahead of its official inauguration, after it was rebuilt following its collapse on August 14, 2018 which killed 43 people Reuters World news in pictures 2 August 2020 Empty stall spaces are seen hours before a citywide curfew is introduced in Melbourne, Australia EPA World news in pictures 1 August 2020 People take part in a demonstration by the initiative "Querdenken-711" with the slogan "the end of the pandemic - the day of freedom" to protest against the current measurements to curb the spread of COVID-19 in Berlin, Germany AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 July 2020 Pilgrims circumambulating around the Kaaba, the holiest shrine in the Grand mosque in Mecca. Muslim pilgrims converged today on Saudi Arabia's Mount Arafat for the climax of this year's hajj, the smallest in modern times and a sharp contrast to the massive crowds of previous years Saudi Ministry of Media/AFP World news in pictures 30 July 2020 The Mars 2020 Perseverance mission lifts off at the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida. The mission is part of the USA's largest moon to Mars exploration. Nasa will attempt to establish a sustained human presence on and around the moon by 2028 through their Artemis programme EPA World news in pictures 29 July 2020 A woman refreshes herself in a outdoor pool in summer temperatures in Ehingen, Germany dpa via AP World news in pictures 28 July 2020 Malaysia's former prime minister Najib Razak speaks to the media after he was found guilty in his corruption trial in Kuala Lumpur AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 July 2020 North Korean leader Kim Jong Un poses for a photograph after conferring commemorative pistols to leading commanding officers of the armed forces on the 67th anniversary of the "Day of Victory in the Great Fatherland Liberation War". Which marks the signing of the Korean War armistice KCNA via Reuters

"In the next few days, upon arriving to Canada, my mother noticed bruises on my jaw, chest, and leg," Ms Koupriianova wrote. Photos she said were from the incident are attached in the court filing, though the images as they were distributed to reporters by the court, were of low quality and hard to make out. She also included a July 2014 email exchange with Mr Spencer that she said occurred after the incident.

"To be perfectly honest, I am not ready to converse with you after what you've done. My jaw is bruised," she wrote.

"I understand," Mr Spencer wrote back, according to the exhibit. "I'm sorry, and I feel terrible."

"He often went into 'Mr Hyde' mode in the evenings and had issues with handling physical intimacy, including hugs," Ms Koupriianova wrote of Mr Spencer.

They have two young children together.

Of the allegations made by Ms Koupriianova, Mr Spencer said in an affidavit that "I dispute many of her assertions".

"More importantly, none of the allegations of 'abuse' have anything to do with my children," he wrote. "My interactions with my children have only been healthy. Petitioner's behaviours reveal that she simply wants to 'score points'. "

Eric Mills and Trevor Carlson, who are listed in recent court filings as Mr Spencer's lawyers in the marital dispute, did not respond to a request for comment. Mr Spencer did not answer emails sent to him.

Ms Koupriianova and Ms Spencer have been separated since at least November 2016; according to the documents filed in court, they have been living separately since July 2017.

In 2017, with Ms Koupriianova nine months pregnant with their second child, Mr Spencer flew to visit "without prior warning", entering her residence and attempting to punch her in the face, according to the court exhibit. She was scheduled for a C-section two days later.

In February of this year, Mr Spencer grabbed, pulled and held her by the hair in a parking lot then attempted to attack her before he "shoved his mother into the wall as she attempted to prevent him from attacking me further", according to Ms Koupriianova. Their 3-year-old daughter was watching in the doorway, Ms Koupriianova said.

"I attempted to record this incident with my smartphone, which was sitting on the dining table, for my own protection," she wrote. "At this point, both Mr [Spencer] and his mother confiscated the phone, so I could not call the police. They proceeded to force me to erase the recording, took our daughter ... with them."

She also wrote of longstanding attempts to bully, insult and demean her – "from adult temper tantrums to get his own way to violent rages". She included numerous transcripts of smartphone recordings to bolster these claims.

In one, after their split, Mr Spencer tries to get her to answer the question of whether she thinks her parents will attend her funeral. In others, he tells her she has "like, no soul", and that she's "an ugly, spiteful, just horrible person".

"You always talk about, 'I want to jump off the bridge'. What are you waiting for?" he asks.

In another transcript, he accuses her of being a "leech", and seems to threaten that her job working for his mother "might not last".

In addition to the chat with the National Domestic Abuse Hotline, the exhibits Ms Koupriianova submitted included a doctor's letter from a women's health clinic in Whitefish, Montana, that noted that Ms Koupriianova "expressed concern for her safety and wellbeing", on several occasions.

One of Mr Spencer's favourite statements was "The only language women understand is violence", Ms Koupriianova wrote.

Ms Koupriianova, through her lawyer, declined to comment on Tuesday.

Mr Spencer told The Associated Press on Tuesday that he was "not an abusive person" and that his wife was "never in a dangerous situation".

In the affidavit, he said that Ms Koupriianova was jeopardising his relationship with his children.

She "has made the decision to prevent me from having a relationship with my children without any justification", Mr Spencer said. "Our marital relationship is clearly strained, resulting in this pending divorce. My relationship with my children, on the other hand, has been entirely joyful and fulfilling."

In another court document, Ms Koupriianova also alleges that Mr Spencer "has noticeably increased his alcohol consumption in recent years, which contributes to his aggressive and erratic behaviour and reduces his impulse control".

Mr Spencer said he drank alcohol occasionally but said he did not have any chemical dependency issues.

Lawyers for both Mr Spencer and Ms Koupriianova attempted to seal the filings, but a judge disagreed with their motions.