A millionaire has released video of his former fiancee hitting herself in the face during a temper tantrum to rubbish claims he abused her.

Scott Mitchell, 45, has released the footage of Mary Hunt, 29, supposedly beating herself up as part of a tense legal battle.

The businessman from Tampa Bay, Florida, has accused her of stealing $2.1million worth of jewelry from the safe in his sprawling mansion when they split last summer.

Hunt has claimed Mitchell was violent towards her, giving her black eyes and bruises, before he broke off the wedding in August.

Millionaire businessman Scott Mitchell, 45, has released video he claims shows former fiance Mary Hunt, 29, hitting herself in the head, in response to claims he abused her

She is seen screaming on the bed during a temper tantrum. His lawyer claims this shows injuries she claims were from Mitchell's violence were actually self-inflicted

But his attorney says the new clip is evidence the injuries were self-inflicted.

Todd Foster told FOX 13: 'The explanation for the black eye is now very different.

'There is no evidence that he ever beat her,' he added. 'This video now demonstrates that she is striking herself in the same area of the face and head that they allege Scott struck her.'

They have now hired a forensic expert who used to work for the FBI to look into more footage as their legal battle heats up.

Mitchell (right) from Tampa Bay, Florida, has accused Hunt (left) of stealing $2.1million worth of jewelry from his safe when they broke up last summer

Hunt has claimed Mitchell was violent towards her, giving her black eyes and bruises, before he broke off the wedding in August

Hunt has spoken out about the alleged abuse in the past.

She told the TV station in June: 'There were so many times when I wanted to give up, but I couldn't do it anymore and I think about how much he would have wanted this.'

Earlier this year, Mitchell filed a lawsuit against the 29-year-old, and her parents Linda and Michael Hunt.

He claims helped her hide the high-end jewels which include 99 three-diamond necklaces, 147 gold rings and 172 loose diamonds.

After she was sent packing, surveillance footage shows Hunt and her mother mailing a package at a UPS store in Florida on August 11.

They told the clerk they were trying to send a laptop and antique plate, and were hoping to insure the package for the maximum $50,000. When they were told the insurance cost, they then dropped coverage to $3,000, the paper reports.

Mitchell has said the jewelry was stolen from the safe inside his enormous Florida home

Mitchell told police he received a drunken call from her father around a week later

During the conversation he said Michael Hunt told him that UPS had delivered a box of jewels to his home on Pirates Point, Virginia.

Hunt (mugshot pictured) was charged with grand theft in October. The lawsuit is claiming costs to recover the stolen items plus damages for a total of $4million

In a recording, provided by Mitchell, Hunt says: 'These are bracelets, these are diamonds, they're every … thing.'

At that point, the millionaire said he checked his safe room and realized his jewels and gold - which he said he had bought from struggling jewelers during the recession in 2008 - were missing.

Mr Hunt later told officers that he knew nothing about a package and he had been drunk for several days when he made the call.

Police searching his home later uncovered an empty UPS box addressed to M Hunt.

Mitchell, CEO of salon products company Simply Organic, was in a relationship with Mary Hunt for two years.

He claimed he paid for everything, including her mortgage, credit card debt, health insurance and even let her drive his 2015 Mercedes Benz.

The businessman even gave her the combination to his safe room, he claims.