Jackson faces seven child sex charges

POP star Michael Jackson was last night charged with child sex abuse after allegations that he molested a teenage cancer patient at his Neverland ranch.

Santa Barbara District Attorney Tom Sneddon said Jackson faced nine charges. He is accused of seven counts of child molestation and two counts of administering an intoxicating liquor to a child for the purpose of committing a felony.

Mr Sneddon said the singer also faced “several special allegations”.

A formal felony criminal complaint was filed against Jackson at a court building in Santa Maria, California. Five of the counts relate to the period between February 7 and March 10 this year, and the other four to between February 20 and March 10. Jackson is due to appear before a court in California on January 16, Mr Sneddon said.

After his arrest last month, the one-time King of Pop called the accusations a “big lie”. Jackson’s Neverland ranch was searched in November after a complaint by a 14-year-old that he had been molested by the star. Jackson surrendered to police on November 20 and was led into a Santa Barbara sheriff’s office, before having his mug shot taken.

Mr Sneddon said all parties involved in the case had signed stipulations allowing Jackson to travel to England to promote his new album, Number Ones.

He agreed to delay Jackson’s arraignment to January 16 and return Jackson’s passport to allow him to travel to Britain from December 20 to January 6. The charging documents specified seven counts alleging lewd or lascivious acts upon a child under 14 and two counts of administering an intoxicating agent.

Each count involving lewd or lascivious acts carries potential prison time of three, six or eight years. Mr Sneddon dismissed suggestions the delay in filing charges signalled a weak case.

The allegations are believed to involve a boy who spent nights in Jackson’s bedroom at his estate. Jackson has spent the past month at an undisclosed location, believed to be Las Vegas, on bail of nearly $3 million.