He shared bed with 'third son'

Michael Jackson shared a bed with the child dubbed his

SAME: Omer and star in 1996

FAMILY: Omer, left, at memorial

By James Desborough, 26/07/2009

SCANDAL-RACKED pop king Michael Jackson shared a bed with the child dubbed his "third son", the News of the World can reveal.

Devoted Omer Bhatti was one of a string of boys who slept with the star at his Neverland ranch, though he denies Jacko ever touched him.

But oddball Jackson was NOT the Norwegian lad's real dad despite an uncanny resemblance that led the star to dub him "Mini-Me".

Bizarre

Two close aides - former publicist Stuart Backerman and longtime housekeeper Adrian McManus - insist their boss simply had a "close bond" to dancer Omer, who sat in the front row of the memorial show alongside the grieving family.

The pair would spend hours locked away watching movies together in his bedroom and at Jacko's on-site cinema.

But Omer, now 25, came close to giving evidence AGAINST his pal and mentor in the singer's 2005 child molestation trial.

Prosecutors wanted to put him on the witness stand to speak on Jacko's bizarre and unnatural habits with children.

Last night a source who worked on the case said: "Omer was one of the many children who slept with Michael. He stayed at Neverland a lot from 1997 right until the police raided it in 2003.

"He'd often be tucked away with Michael in his bedroom. The reason he became known as his 'son' was because Michael kept joking to staff saying, 'He's my son!' Some of them took it for real as he looked so much like him.

"And Michael would shower the boy with gifts just like an over-generous dad. Omer knows all Michael's most intimate secrets, but has never spoken as he felt his childhood was so amazing thanks to his surrogate dad.

"When Neverland was raided Omer was taken aside by officers determined to get to the bottom of their relationship. Michael panicked, worried Omer would land him in trouble.

"And when prosecutors interviewed Omer they felt his behaviour was very odd.

Omer Bhatti hugs Michael Jackson at Neverland Xmas celebrations in 1998

"He ducked and dived questions on how Jackson plied kids with soft drink cans filled with booze, showed them child porn and was overtly sexual.

"At one stage they felt he'd be a valuable witness, but dropped him due to the volume of others they had.

"Soon after Omer was named as a defence witness, insisting Jackson didn't molest him."

Bhatti and his mum Pia first met Jackson at a Tunisian hotel in 1996. Omer performed a five-minute dance routine mimicking the star's most famous moves and impressed Jacko invited the family to Neverland.

Mum Pia became a nanny for Michael's son Prince and real dad Riz became a chaffeur.

Creepy

Jacko then worked on the Mini-Me image, dressing Omer up in replicas of his most famous stage outfits and taking him around the world on his History tour in 1997.

A close pal of Omer revealed how Jacko had yet another pet name for his young favourite - Little Monkey.

Singer Ricky Harlow, who knew Michael and Bhatti during the 90s, said Neverland staff called his pal Little Michael.

Ricky, now 26, said: "They looked identical. It was incredibly odd and a little creepy to see the two of them together.

"Michael acted like a child himself most of the time. He'd join us running around the property, going on rides and racing the bikes. He told me once, 'I'm only 12 years old!' And that's how he behaved around us."

Your comments

This article has 18 comments

So the kid hugged him after receiving a gift from him. so what. I think the video was cute. showed that MJ enjoyed celebrating Christmas with his kids and friends. yeah, Just because he was odd doesn't mean he hurt anyone. He made a lot of people happy with his beautiful music and dancing and I for one miss him a lot. I'm sorry that he had to experience all of the problems he had. He had many unresolved issues but he seemed like a gentle soul who really cared about his fans. I have watched film footage of his History concert tour (Munich) and he put on one hell of a show. I wish I could have been there, really, it was amazing. This man put his heart into that performance. He really cared about what he did for his fans he wanted everything in that show to be perfect. And it showed. Stop making him out to be a total monster. He wasn't.

By sc341. Posted September 1 2009 at 9:10 AM.

in a interview micheal said "i did not sleep in the same bed as the children they had my bed and i slept on the floor" now all of you listen to what micheal is saying for god sake this is getting boring he was found not guilty and i belive him with no doubt in my mind EVER.

try and r.i.p micheal they will get bored in the end. hope your having fun dancing with the angels sweetheart, miss and love you forver you are amazingxxxx

By helen. Posted August 9 2009 at 11:05 AM.

Poor Michael, I feel he was so misunderstood misrepresented and misinterpreted by others. No wonder he very rarely spoke to the press. I can see where he was coming from...gentle, kind and a caring soul but if you don't have the same thought processes i.e. mean spirited, unhappy and jealous in mind, I guess you wouldn't understand. You need to experience something to understand it. Love you Michael and hopefully you are at peace.

By Heather Jones. Posted August 6 2009 at 11:57 AM.

Sorry guys, u just make it sound so bad. Here in africa sleeping on same bed with kids urs or not means nothg. U just make a mountain out of a mole when it comes to cxelebrities over there

By Uk. Posted August 4 2009 at 10:48 AM.

Micheal you were really a star. whatever you touched was shining, a hero we will never forget. All i can say is rest in peace.

By precious. Posted July 30 2009 at 1:58 PM.

The only sick people in this world are the people who believe that Michael Jackson was a child molestor. Michael Jackson was a loving and caring human being. He was just trying to make children happy in there lives. He wanted them to see what it was liked to be loved and cared for. Something which he never experienced when he was a child. I think that all these people who have called Michael Jackson names and have said horrible things about him are the real reason Michael Jackson died. This made him ill. I think he died a broken man that could not be fixed and that is all down to these silly stories involving kids. Michael people where so jealous of you cause you had everything. You will not be forgotten. R.I.P

By Dean Hansen. Posted July 28 2009 at 5:52 AM.

Well, I must be the only person who did not like Michael Jackson's music or dancing. He seemed to be obsessed with his crotch!!!

By enya. Posted July 27 2009 at 5:33 PM.

Tanya, what you describe isnt creepy. But what you describe isnt what happened.

You sleeping with someone elses 12 year old son, would definately be strange. And I would bet you wouldnt do it.

By Vale. Posted July 27 2009 at 5:01 PM.

His Music Was Good Thats About It !

By ConnorGallagher. Posted July 27 2009 at 4:40 PM.

I share my bed with my 4 year old son too. Does that make me creepy come on.. if your mind is not in the gutter there is nothing wrong with sharing a bed with a child. MJ comes from a big family and they would have shared their bed's like most big families do. We did too 2 of us would go sleep with our older sisters it kept you warm in the cold.

By Tanya. Posted July 27 2009 at 1:31 PM.

For Heaven's sake are we ever going to stop hearing about who MJ slept with. Who cares nothing was done about it when he was alive and there is nothing that can be done now he's dead.

By Lorna Wanstall. Posted July 27 2009 at 1:21 PM.

This video is so sweet and cute. Michael was a very good father. I still can't believed that hi is dead. I love him so much. For me he will be always the best artist in the world. I LOVE YOU MICHAEL JACKSON! PEACE WITH YOU!!!

By Tara. Posted July 27 2009 at 4:02 AM.

Father, Brother, Friend & Son RIP Michael

By Talkingfeather. Posted July 26 2009 at 10:51 PM.

Is no one ever going to leave him alone,he was the greatest artist in this world and he has alway's been generous to charity's and helped people.
Rest in Peace Michael no one can hurt you anymore.xx

By sue b. Posted July 26 2009 at 6:16 PM.

why they bringing this up again. forgod sake have respect he has died!!! and he found not gulity so lets not talk of this again. and i dnt see anything "odd" or "creepy" about there friendship

rip x

By sarah. Posted July 26 2009 at 5:39 PM.

why are people so jeolous of him ? Sharing bed with others doesn't mean having sex or molesting... Michael was a patient guy who actually religious with high self-discipline and integrity.
In our country, we always share bed but nothing happen. Maybe the person, who accused him of molesting, cannot sexually control their desire.
I was in US sometimes in 1980's to 1990's. I still remember i got rashes and went to see a doctor. the doc asked me if i ever shared bed with someone else, and i said 'yes'. She further probed in such a manner that i did not feel comfortable with the way she 'interview' me.
Then I understand that in US sharing bed means having sex. what a sick translation !!!

By maznah. Posted July 26 2009 at 1:49 PM.

He was a father figure to Omar and its a shame that you have to insinuate anything else. His charity work earned him a place in the guiness book of records let's hear about that for a change.

By jan. Posted July 26 2009 at 11:37 AM.

Thats a really nice xmas video with the generosity of Michael obvious and his desire to share with the children a pleasure to see. Would anyone really not want to have been a guest at that party? He has been the most generous donor to charity of all stars in the history of the world donating something close to $400MILLIONDOLLARS to charities throughout the world, lets not forget all the marvellous things he has done in our obsession to see a ''good'' story. RIP Michael as now your only judge {as always} is God .

By erik. Posted July 26 2009 at 2:05 AM.

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