Jackson suit may have been set in motion by Bashir documentary

SOURCES close to Michael Jackson’s defence team say the ITV documentary on the pop superstar may have triggered the child abuse case that threatens to destroy both him and his multimillion-dollar music empire.

More than a year ago, Mr Jackson let presenter Martin Bashir and a TV crew into his bizarre world for a documentary he no doubt hoped would boost his fading career.

Exactly what happened is a matter of dispute, but interviews with several sources close to Mr Jackson and the accuser's family reveal one consistent thread the documentary set in motion a series of events that led to the pop star's arrest last month.

The TV special, broadcast worldwide last February to an audience of millions, offered images of Jackson's fairytale estate, Neverland, his lonely trips to Las Vegas and his lavish spending habits. It also showed him talking about sleepovers with children at Neverland and holding the hand of a

cancer-stricken boy the boy who is now Mr Jackson's accuser.

Those close to Jackson's defence team say that around the time the TV special aired, the mother demanded a fee for her son's appearance. When Jackson refused, they say, the relationship between the family and Mr Jackson soured.

In another version, those close to the mother's side say she did not ask for payment. Instead, they say Mr Jackson began acting strangely just before the special aired, telling the family they were in danger and would have to pack their belongings and leave their home.

According to this account, Mr Jackson barred the family from Neverland, after which the mother hired a lawyer the same lawyer who had represented a boy in a molestation claim against Jackson 10 years ago.

The sources are in a position to know each side's version of events.

Mr Jackson's lawyer Mark Geragos called the latest accusations "the big lie" and said the singer denied molesting the boy, now 13. The Santa Barbara County district attorney's office says it expects to file formal charges during the week of December 15.

Everyone is in agreement on one thing: Mr Jackson's relationship with the boy began with a good deed. Mr Jackson was told by Jamie Masada, a comedy club owner who runs a camp for underprivileged children, that a child in hospital with cancer wanted to meet him.

Mr Jackson, who supports many children's charities, obliged and formed a relationship with the boy and his mother. The boy visited Neverland as his condition improved and gradually became part of Mr Jackson's large entourage. In the TV documentary, which was filmed over an eight-month period, Mr Jackson defended his habit of letting children sleep in his bed as "sweet" and non-sexual.