Let me see my son, begs Jackson case father

The father of the boy accusing Michael Jackson of sex abuse spoke out today, pleading to be able to see the youngster.

He has been banned from seeing the teenager and his other son since 2001, when he pleaded no contest to abuse allegations made by their mother.

But today he denied abusing the boys or their mother.

He told CBS: “I have been trying to get hold of them and be in touch with them since 2001.

“I’ve never been without them and it’s been just a world of hurt without them since I’ve been away from them.”

He added: “I keep going over how much I really want to see them and I want them to know how much I am trying, and I’ve been trying, it’s just that nobody would listen.”

The father said his only wish was “to be able to see my kids. That’s all I want”.

He recently made a court bid in California to be able to visit the child but it was rejected.

A restraining order preventing him seeing the boys stems from abuse allegations made by his estranged wife during their divorce two years ago.

While the father pleaded no contest, his lawyer Russell Halpern said that was not an indication of guilt.

“Against his own wishes he decided to enter a plea, but in no respect has he ever admitted that he did any of these things.

“In fact our position is that he is completely innocent of all these charges.”

The father added: “I’ve never even spanked my children.”

He refused to comment on reports that 45-year-old Jackson had bought him a car.

His lawyer said a gagging order on the current case prevented him from doing so.

Asked why the father allowed the boy to stay with Jackson, Mr Halpern said: “Both parents were at Neverland when they (Jackson and the boy) were united.

“And I understand Mr Jackson was very hospitable, very much of a good host and never displayed any kind of conduct which would cause anybody any concern.”

The father also described the illness that nearly killed his son.

“What he had was like a 16lb cyst in his tummy area that grew. The surgeon said it was the size of a football when he took it out.

“So he lost his kidney and spleen and all his lymph nodes in his tummy area.”

He added: “This kid is so strong. He has a will to fight anything.”

It was the boy’s dying wish to meet Jackson, who was his hero. But he later made a remarkable recovery.

Jackson has denied abusing the teenager after plying him with alcohol at the Neverland Ranch, near Santa Barbara, California.

He was charged in December with seven counts of performing lewd or lascivious acts on a child under 14 and two counts of administering an intoxicating agent, reportedly wine.

He has called the charges a “big lie” and is free on bail, pending trial.