Michael Jackson: Leaving Neverland director Dan Reed defends accusers Wade Robson and James Safechuck

Reed believes the 'corroborating evidence' surrounding Robson and Safechuck's testimonies is 'very strong'

Leaving Neverland director Dan Reed has defended Michael Jackson’s accusers against claims they decided to share their allegations hoping for money.

Reed spoke about Wade Robson and James Safechuck, the two subjects of his documentary, on Good Morning Britain on Wednesday morning.

Robson and Safechuck accuse Jackson of having sexually abused them repeatedly when they were children. The Jackson estate has denied those claims and publicly denounced the documentary.

Safechuck and Robson have filed civil complaints against the Jackson estate, which have been dismissed due to the statute of limitations. Those cases remain on appeal.

Asked by Piers Morgan whether both accusers are after money, Reed first replied: “I don’t know, you should ask them.” He then added: “No, they want justice, they are not fussed about the money. I don’t know what they’d do with the money when they get it.”

Reed also told Morgan of Robson and Safechuck: “They’re entitled as citizens to use the courts to hold the Jackson estate – and their contention is that all these people who worked with Jackson looked the other way while they were being raped.”

Reed said he believes that if Jackson were alive, there would now be a criminal trial.

The director also offered an explanation of the accusers’ claims that Jackson developed a strong relationship with them and their families before and during the alleged abuse.

“The thing you have to understand about child sexual abuse is that very often a very strong bond forms between the predator and the child, and that bond can last for many, many years, and that’s what’s happened in this case,” Reed said.

Asked whether he’s certain that Robson and Safechuck’s testimonies are strong enough to call Jackson a pedophile, Reed answered: ‘I think the corroborating evidence around their accounts is very strong. I’ve looked at that. If you watch the film and you see how their families have just been devastated by what happened.

“I mean, what mother would go on television and say, ‘I delivered my little boy into the hands of a predatory paedophile who I thought was my best friend?’”

Leaving Neverland airs in the UK on Channel 4 on Wednesday and Thursday.