MICHAEL Jackson said he would rather “slit my wrists” than abuse kids while claiming that sleeping with other people’s children proved he wasn’t a paedo.

The superstar singer made the bizarre claims during a 2003 interview after he had been charged with molesting underage boy Gavin Arvizo.

Speaking CBS, Jackson admitted in the past to sharing his bed with children who were not related to him but denied being “Jack the Ripper.”

The interviewer asked him if he still thought it was acceptable to sleep with children, he replied: "Of course, of course, why not?

"If you're going to be a paedophile, if you're going to be Jack the Ripper, if you're going to be a murderer, it's not a good idea. That I am not.

"That's how we were raised. And I didn't sleep in the bed with the child. Even if I did, it's okay. I slept on the floor. I gave the bed to the child."

He added: "Before I would hurt a child, I would slit my wrists."

The charges – which included seven counts of molesting a minor - followed a huge police search of the star’s Neverland Ranch in California.

Before I would hurt a child, I would slit my wrists

Speaking of the police search, the Thriller singer, who died in 2009, said that his privacy had been so badly violated that he no longer considered the ranch his home.

He said: "I won't live there ever again. It's a house now. It's not a home anymore. I'll only visit."

The entertainer was acquitted all charges against him in a 2005 trial.

More allegations against Jacko have came to light following the screening of explosive documentary Leaving Neverland at the Sundance Film Festival last week.

The film, which will air on television in spring, features the singer's former boy companions Wade Robson and James Safechuck who both claim they were sexually abused by Jackson over several years.

Michael Jackson strongly denied all allegations of sexual abuse made against him.

His estate has slammed Leaving Neverland as "an outrageous and pathetic attempt to exploit and cash in."