Jackson's a great father, says ex

Michael Jackson's ex-wife dealt a huge blow to the abuse case against the star yesterday when she told jurors he was a 'great father' and a 'wonderful person'.

Called as a witness for the prosecution, Debbie Rowe was expected to say she had been pressurised into appearing in a video supporting the singer with promises that she could see their children.

But Miss Rowe, whose marriage ended in 1999, said she was keen to take part because she wanted to see Prince Michael, eight, and Paris, seven.

She said she hoped to ' possibly renew' her relationship with her ex-husband, who she wanted to portray in the film as 'generous and caring'.

Jackson denies one count of conspiracy to commit extortion, false imprisonment and child abduction, four counts of child molestation, one of attempted child molestation, and four of furnishing an intoxicant for purposes of committing a felony.

The court in Santa Maria, California, heard that he contacted his ex-wife to enlist her support following Martin Bashir's February 2003 TV documentary.

Miss Rowe, 45, had been expected to say Jackson aides scripted her responses to 105 questions. But she flatly denied this accusation. Prosecutor Ron Zonen asked her: 'What was it that you intended to represent in this video?' She answered: 'Michael as a wonderful person and as a great father and generous and caring.'

Zonen asked: 'Did you have that information of him as a wonderful father?' Rowe replied: 'As I have known him, yes.'

When asked when she had last talked to Jackson prior to 2003, however, she revealed they had not spoken since 1999.

She admitted that was the last time she had seen him with her children, because a promised trip to Neverland to see them never materialised.

The trial continues.