Jackson sex abuse trial 'at end of year'

Michael Jackson’s trial over sex abuse allegations should begin by the end of the year, a judge said today.

Lawyers gathered for a hearing at a court in California, but there was no sign of the 45-year-old star, who was not obliged to attend.

Only a few fans turned up at the court house in Santa Maria – a far cry from the hundreds who appeared last time amid a circus atmosphere.

On that occasion, last month, Jackson climbed on top of his van outside the court, shortly after pleading not guilty, and waved to fans.

During today’s proceedings Judge Rodney Melville adjourned the case until April 2, when a date for a preliminary hearing will be set.

The adjournment was granted after Jackson’s defence lawyers said they had not had enough time to review the prosecution’s evidence.

Defence lawyer Mark Geragos said he had recently received 400 pages of evidence from Santa Barbara County District Attorney Thomas Sneddon and would need time to review it.

On April 2 prosecutors will lay out their case and Judge Melville will decide whether the case should proceed to trial.

If it does go to trial, it should begin by the end of this year, Judge Melville said.

All parties agreed that this was possible.

During the hearing the judge also ruled on a media request to unseal documents related to all searches in the case.

He said the documents will remain sealed but he will release edited versions, possibly by next week.

Jackson is charged with seven counts of lewd or lascivious acts with a child under 14 and two counts of giving the child an “intoxicating agent”, reportedly wine.

He has called the allegations, by a teenage cancer survivor, a “big lie”.

Among the fans outside the court today was Marina Sali, a 25-year-old college student from New York City.

She said: “Michael to me means everything. I will do anything to prove my point of view.”

Tierra Alexander, 20, had the words, “Just leave him alone” on the back of her shirt.

Her friend, Tamika Myles, 21, wore a shirt with the phrase “Just stop dogging him around” on the back.