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Aaron Carter hits out at Michael Jackson accusers for 'stomping on an icon' and Paris Jackson approves

Singer Aaron Carter performs at the Go Pool at Flamingo Las Vegas on April 15, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Mindy Small/FilmMagic)
Singer Aaron Carter performs at the Go Pool at Flamingo Las Vegas on April 15, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Mindy Small/FilmMagic)

Singer Aaron Carter has criticised the men who accused Michael Jackson of sexual abuse in the controversial documentary Leaving Neverland, saying they are “stomping on an icon”.

The 31-year-old singer, who toured with the Backstreet Boys, also threatened to “punch” one of the accusers after receiving a tweet purporting to have been sent by him.

Read more: Six facts about the abuse allegations

In the two-part documentary, directed by Dan Reed, a pair of men allege they were sexually abused by Thriller singer Jackson while they were children.

Carter criticised the accusers Wade Robson and James Safechuck for the timing of their allegations, saying they should have spoken out during Jackson’s 2005 trial, in which he was acquitted on all counts against him.

He told TMZ: “You’re a grown man, and when Michael Jackson was alive, you are backing him, you are up his a**, you are kissing his a**, you are there to testify for him under oath, and then when he dies, you decide that’s a good time to come out?

“No, what you are doing is, you’re actually stomping on an icon and a legend’s grave — you’re stomping his grave.”

Carter shared the TMZ story on his personal Twitter, and Michael Jackson’s daughter Paris responded with a loveheart emoji.

Michael Jackson fans stage a protest outside the headquarters of Channel 4 on Horseferry Road, London, ahead of the airing of the documentary Leaving Neverland. (Photo by Yui Mok/PA Images via Getty Images)
Michael Jackson fans stage a protest outside the headquarters of Channel 4 on Horseferry Road, London, ahead of the airing of the documentary Leaving Neverland. (Photo by Yui Mok/PA Images via Getty Images)

Read more: Paris Jackson speaks out on Leaving Neverland

Carter said that his own experiences of being friendly with Jackson as a teenager prove the singer wasn’t an abuser.

“I hung out with Michael Jackson, I stayed at his house, I stayed in his bedroom,” he said. “It’s hard for me to understand. How am I supposed to understand that when my own personal experience with him was gentle and beautiful and loving and embracing?”

Director Dan Reed speaks onstage during the ‘Leaving Neverland’ Premiere during the 2019 Sundance Film Festival at Egyptian Theatre on January 25, 2019 in Park City, Utah. (Photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images)
Director Dan Reed speaks onstage during the ‘Leaving Neverland’ Premiere during the 2019 Sundance Film Festival at Egyptian Theatre on January 25, 2019 in Park City, Utah. (Photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images)

A tweet from a now-deleted account, purporting to come from Robson, asserted that Carter was aware of Jackson’s abuse, which led the singer to angrily respond.

Read more: Simpsons pulls Michael Jackson episode

He said: “He’s trying to tie my name into this s***. I’m not that guy. I’m not the one.

“You lucky I got something to lose now, because I would punch you in your face — I would.

“And then maybe I’d ask you, ‘Are you telling the truth?’ But I’d punch you in your face first, because what you’re doing is you’re stomping on someone’s grave who was there for you and taught you things.”

Read more: Dan Reed hopes to make sequel film

Robson’s lawyers claim the tweet was from a fake account and that several have popped up since Leaving Neverland aired on TV.

Carter later tweeted that his own lawyers will be looking into the situation.

Both parts of Leaving Neverland aired last week on HBO in the US and on Channel 4 in the UK, after premiering at the Sundance Film Festival.