Singer Whitney Houston (right) and her soon-to-be ex-husband, singer Bobby Brown. - REUTERS

A warrant has been issued for Bobby Brown's arrest.

A judge in Massachusetts made the decision after the My Prerogative singer didn't turn up for a court hearing regarding his child support payments to Kim Ward, the mother of two of his children.

Bobby's lawyer, Phaedra Parks, tried to placate the court official, citing his split and impending divorce from Whitney Houston as the reason he had not made the payments.

Parks said: "The media is very aware of this very public divorce that's going on right now."

However, Judge Paula Carey rebuked: "Whether or not he's going through a divorce doesn't negate the fact that he still owes child support relative to his two children that he had prior to his marriage."

Kim Ward claims Bobby owes two months' support totalling $11,000.

Meanwhile, Bobby has admitted he is "saddened" by his pending divorce from Whitney.

Houston filed for a legal separation from Bobby on September 8 after 14 years of marriage.

According to reports, Whitney has asked for the custody of their 13-year-old daughter Bobbi Kristina.

Whitney and Bobby tied the knot on the grounds of her five-acre, $11 million mansion in New Jersey on July 18, 1992.

Divorce proceedings are expected to get under way next month.