MICHAEL JACKSON was last night declared innocent of all charges in his trial for child molestation.

Jackson had been accused of molesting 13-year-old Gavin Arvizo - but was acquitted of all ten charges he faced, including lesser charges of giving alcohol to a minor.

Cancer sufferer Gavin claimed that the abuse had taken place at the star's Neverland ranch, but the verdict vindicated the pop star, who insisted he was the victim of mother-and-son con artists and a prosecutor with a vendetta.

Jurors also acquitted him of conspiring to imprison his accuser and the boy's family at the storybook estate - a huge legal victory but one that may do little to improve his bizarre image.

The first indication that the jury had reached its verdicts were screams from the hordes of fans outside the gates of the court as several photographers suddenly ran out on to the road.

The majority of the 1,300 journalists on site suddenly swept towards the front of the court.

A representative from the Santa Barbara Sheriff's Office made the official announcement and cleared the way for the one-hour countdown to begin.

As fans outside shouted "innocent, innocent", camera crews and photographers raced to positions to wait for the pop star's arrival.

Jackson pulled up outside the court in a black 4x4, surrounded by his family, and entered the court to hear his fate.

The investigation was triggered in February 2003 by British journalist Martin Bashir's bombshell documentary, in which Jackson admitted sharing his bed with young boys.

Charges were brought nine months later after police raided his estate.

When a warrant was issued, Jackson turned himself in to Santa Barbara police and was handcuffed under the glare of the world's media.

In court, Gavin claimed the singer had molested him twice and gave graphic descriptions of the alleged offences.

His younger brother, Star, claimed he had witnessed such acts but gave conflicting testimony about the exact circumstances of the alleged abuse. Under cross-examination, their credibility came under fierce attack.

The prosecution painted Jackson as a serial child molester and Neverland as a predator's lair. They accused him of using his celebrity and Peter Pan image to entice children while showering their mothers with lavish gifts.

The defence claimed Gavin and his family were trying to pull "the biggest con of their careers". Of five alleged previous victims, three, including Home Alone star Macaulay Culkin, took the stand to insist they had never been mistreated in any way.

Jackson never testified in his own defence, but out-takes from Bashir's documentary allowed jurors to listen to him speak in his own words.

They portrayed a vulnerable, compassionate man who had been severely affected by his childhood fame and consequent celebrity status.

He discussed his overwhelming loneliness and fear of his father, and said the only people in the world he felt he could trust were children.

The verdict brings to a climax an eventful four months in Santa Maria - the small town which played host to hundreds of journalists and fans from across the globe.

As cameramen trained their lenses, day in day out, on the small courthouse, scores of fans danced, sang and prayed outside the gates.

The 16-week trial was one of the most closely watched in recent memory, involving about 140 witnesses and 600 pieces of evidence.

The trial cost Santa Barbara County an estimated $2m (£1.09m).