Michael Jackson's father Joe has revealed that he has 'no regrets' about beating Jacko as a child because it kept the singer out of jail and away from gang violence.
Joe Jackson made the extraordinary claim in an interview with Jacksonsecretvault.com and suggested that the King of Pop's tough upbringing was for his own good.
The late singer had previously spoken out about his strict upbringing, claiming that Joe often hit him when he was growing up.
Jacko's dad claimed: "I had to be like that because when raising him, in those days, so many gangs (were) out there getting into trouble, going to jail."
"Most of them are dead now. He didn't have to worry about that. "No (I don't have any regrets)."
He added: They tried to make a big issue when I spanked Michael or some of the kids, you know? Just like they didn't spank their kids when they did wrong. The media twists everything."
The interview is expected to be screened in a movie about MJ, which has been co-produced by his mother Katherine Jackson.