Michael Jackson has been accused of beating up his chimp Bubbles

The late singer's pet was reportedly "being beaten" while in his car, and a leading chimpanzee expert insisted she tried to intervene when she'd heard about the way he was being treated.

Jane Goodall told TMZ: "I went to see him and we talked about Bubbles. I ticked him off.

"Bubbles is still alive and he's beautiful, but when he was with Michael he was being beaten ... Chimpanzees belong in the forest. By the time they are seven or eight they are dangerous."

While Jane didn't directly name the Thriller hitmaker - who passed away in 2009 - as the abuser, the ex-husband of the star's sister LaToya has claimed he saw the beatings first-hand.

Jack Gordon said: "I saw Michael punch Bubbles in the face, kick him in the stomach."

The gossip website notes that sources from the singer's camp have denied the claims, conceding there have been reports over the years of the chimp being treated like a king.

Bubbles, 33, now lives in an animal sanctuary in Florida.