R KELLY'S ex-wife has spoken out following the news that the singer has been convicted of sex trafficking and racketeering.

       Drea Kelly, who was married to R Kelly for 13 years, told Good Morning Britain that her "heart breaks" for her kids who are now forced to live with their dad's shame.

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       R Kelly's ex-wife spoke about her 'heart breaking' for her three children over their father's shame Credit: ITV 4

       Drea was married to R Kelly for 13 years Credit: ITV

       On Monday a jury of seven men and five women found Kelly, 54, guilty of racketeering on their second day of deliberations.

       The singer - real name Robert Kelly - now faces decades in jail after pleading not guilty to charges accusing him of sexual abuse over two decades.

       "Well, I sit in a very difficult place cause unlike the rest of his victims I also share children with him," she said.

       "I was married to him."

       Drea, who shares three kids with the disgraced R&B singer, told the show how she wears two hats, that of a survivor and a mother.

       "I feel that my heart is in two places," she said.

       "My heart definitely goes out to the survivors and the courage that it takes to even come forward and tell the story.

       "But my heart breaks as a mother because this is now the legacy that my children will have to deal with and their children's children."

       Drea, real name Andrea, was married to R Kelly from 1996 to 2009.

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       In 2018, Drea claimed on The View that she had been emotionally and physically abused by Kelly throughout their marriage.

       "I have the ability to separate and kinda distance myself from it," she told Good Morning Britain.

       "But his blood runs through my children's veins.

       "It's a part of their DNA, they can't escape it even if they wanted to."

       Deliberations began on Friday at federal court in Brooklyn before the panel took the weekend off.

       The hitmaker, 54, best known for the 1996 smash hit I Believe I Can Fly, now faces decades behind bars.

       The charges were based on an argument that the entourage of managers and aides who helped the singer meet girls — and keep them obedient and quiet — amounted to a criminal enterprise.

       Several accusers testified in lurid detail during the trial, alleging that Kelly subjected them to perverse and sadistic whims when they were underage.

       Kelly was also convicted of criminal counts accusing him of violating the Mann Act, which makes it illegal to take anyone across state lines “for any immoral purpose”.

       Kelly lawyer Deveraux Cannick said he was "disappointed".

       The guilty verdict comes more than 10 years after the musician was acquitted of child pornography charges at an Illinois state trial.

       Kelly, born Robert Sylvester Kelly, has been jailed without bail since 2019.

       The New York case is only part of the legal peril facing the singer.

       He also has pleaded not guilty to sex-related charges in Illinois and Minnesota. Trial dates in those cases have yet to be set.

       Lawyers for R. Kelly walk to a Brooklyn courthouse 4

       Robert Kelly was found guilty of racketeering on Monday (stock image) Credit: AP HOW YOU CAN GET HELP:

       Women's Aid has this advice for victims and their families:

       Always keep your phone nearby. Get in touch with charities for help, including the Women’s Aid live chat helpline and services such as SupportLine. If you are in danger, call 999. Familiarise yourself with the Silent Solution, reporting abuse without speaking down the phone, instead dialing “55”. Always keep some money on you, including change for a pay phone or bus fare. If you suspect your partner is about to attack you, try to go to a lower-risk area of the house – for example, where there is a way out and access to a telephone. Avoid the kitchen and garage, where there are likely to be knives or other weapons. Avoid rooms where you might become trapped, such as the bathroom, or where you might be shut into a cupboard or other small space.

       If you are a -victim of domestic abuse, SupportLine is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 6pm to 8pm on 01708 765200. The charity’s email support -service is open weekdays and weekends during the crisis – messageinfo@supportline.org.uk.

       Women’s Aid provides a live chat service - available every day from 10am-6pm.

       You can also call the freephone 24-hour -National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247.