Two men who allege they were sexual abused by Michael Jackson when they were children can pursue claims against two of the late singer’s companies, a California court has ruled.

Wade Robson and James Safechuck, who appeared in a 2019 documentary titled Leaving Neverland, claimed they were abused by Jackson while staying at his Neverland ranch from the ages of seven and 10.

Jackson’s family have denied the claims, describing the documentary as a “public lynching” and “tabloid character assassination”.

The singer, who died in 2009, was acquitted at a 2005 trial on charges of abusing a different boy, who was 13.

Mr Robson and Mr Safechuck filed the lawsuits in 2014 but were dismissed by a lower court because California’s statute of limitations required claims of childhood sexual abuse to be filed before an accuser’s 26th birthday.

Leaving Neverland – photos show Michael Jackson with his accusers Show all 9 1 /9 Leaving Neverland – photos show Michael Jackson with his accusers Leaving Neverland – photos show Michael Jackson with his accusers Michael Jackson with accuser Wade Robson Sundance Insitute Leaving Neverland – photos show Michael Jackson with his accusers Accuser Wade Robson meeting Michael Jackson for the first time Channel 4 Leaving Neverland – photos show Michael Jackson with his accusers Michael Jackson with the Robson family Channel 4 Leaving Neverland – photos show Michael Jackson with his accusers Michael Jackson at the home of accuser James Safechuck Channel 4 Leaving Neverland – photos show Michael Jackson with his accusers Dan Reed approached the Michael Jackson documentary with 'all the scepticism and rigorousness that I would approach a story about a terrorist attack' Channel 4 Leaving Neverland – photos show Michael Jackson with his accusers Michael Jackson leaves the courtroom on a break at the Santa Barbara County Courthouse for the second day of closing arguments in his child molestation trial in Santa Maria, California, 2005 AFP/Getty Leaving Neverland – photos show Michael Jackson with his accusers Michael Jackson accuser Wade Robson Channel 4 Leaving Neverland – photos show Michael Jackson with his accusers James Safechuck, another of Jackson's accusers Channel 4 Leaving Neverland – photos show Michael Jackson with his accusers Leaving Neverland director Dan Reed Channel 4

That changed on 1 January, when a new law extending the timeframe up to a person’s 40th birthday came into effect.

The court said it was not ruling on the truth of the allegations but said the accusations contained “a disturbing years-long pattern of child sexual abuse” by the late singer.

Vince Finaldi, the lawyer for the two men, said after the ruling: “We are pleased that the court has recognised the strong protections California has put into place for sexual abuse victims under the state’s new law extending the statute of limitations.

“We look forward to sharing the facts of the terrible abuse of James Safechuck and Wade Robson with a jury.”

Attorney Howard Weitzman, who represents the Jackson estate, said he was confident both lawsuits would be dismissed.

“The Court of Appeal’s ruling merely revived lawsuits against Michael Jackson’s companies, which absurdly claim that Michael’s employees are somehow responsible for sexual abuse that never happened,” he said.

The Jackson estate filed a $100m lawsuit against HBO last February over the release of Leaving Neverland, which the premium cable network sought to dismiss.