Brett Barnes met Michael Jackson in 1987 aged 5

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Leaving Neverland: Michael Jackson and Me, part two airs tonight (Thursday, March 7) on Channel 4. Part one premiered last night (Wednesday, March 6) and you can watch the first episode via Channel 4’s on-demand service All 4 now. Leaving Neverland looks into the child abuse allegations made against Michael Jackson. Jackson and his estate have denied all allegations relating to sexual abuse. Leaving Neverland is told from the perspective of two of his alleged victims, James Safechuck and Wade Robson. Another boy mentioned in the documentary is Brett Barnes but who is he and why does he not appear in Leaving Neverland?

Who is Brett Barnes? Barnes met Michael Jackson in 1987 when he was just five-years-old. Barnes is originally from Melbourne, Australia and at the age of nine, Barnes and his family were invited to visit the Neverland Ranch. Barnes was regularly seen hanging out with Jackson, Macaulay Culkin and Jordan Chandler throughout the 1990s. According to the 2007 book Be Careful Who You Love: Inside the Michael Jackson Case by journalist Diane Dimon, Barnes admitted to visiting the Neverland estate on his own. In the documentary Leaving Neverland part one, photographs of Barnes feature at the end of the episode. Wade and Robson speak of their jealousy of Barnes as Michael Jackson started to focus his attention of Barnes and Macaulay Culkin from 1992 onwards. WHEN DOES LEAVING NEVERLAND PART 2 AIR?

Brett Barnes met Michael Jackson in 1987 aged 5

Safechuck speaks of feeling excluded and said Barnes had “replaced” him. In the documentary, Safechuck said: ”That was very difficult to handle, there was a lot of jealousy and hurt. You're no longer special.” Safechuck recalled one night crying downstairs on the couch wanting to go home as Barnes was sleeping in Michael room instead of him. He described feeling “cast out” and having a “realisation” that he was no longer “number one”. Robson’s mother recalled how heartbroken her son was when Robson saw Jackson and Barnes on television during the Dangerous tour, despite Jackson telling Robson no children were allowed on the tour. WHERE IS HAYVENHURST HOUSE?

Brett Barnes met Michael Jackson in 1987 aged 5

In 1993, when Jackson was first accused of sexual misconduct, Barnes defended him. At 11-years-old, Barnes told reporters: “He kissed you like you kiss your mother. It's not unusual for him to hug, kiss and nuzzle up to you and stuff.” He also said that he “slept on one side of the bed” while Jackson slept on the other. Again in 2005, Barnes testified in a separate trial that Jackson had “absolutely not” molested him as a child. When asked whether the star had touched him in a sexual way, he said: “Never. I wouldn’t stand for it.” In 2005, Jackson was tried for 14 counts relating to child sexual abuse, he pleaded not guilty to all charges and was found not guilty by a jury in 2005. Brett Barnes was last publicly photographed at the 2005 trial and has led a very private life since. WHO ARE JAMES SAFECHUCK AND WADE ROBSON?

Brett Barnes met Michael Jackson in 1987 aged 5