Police investigating death threats over Michael Jackson statue at Hackney studio

Police are investigating deaths threats made by obsessive Michael Jaskson fans over a controversial statue of the singer at a Hackney recording studio.

Bosses at The Premises Studios in Hackney Road have called in investigating officers after hate mail about ‘Madonna and Child’ became increasingly menacing.

The life-sized model by Swedish-born sculptor Maria von K�hler, which shows the moment the star dangled his baby out of a Berlin hotel window in 2002, has sparked a barrage of angry messages since going up last month.

Many fans complained that the artwork was disrespectful and called for it to be taken down.

But one said: ““I think we will come to put the fire, or something worst (sic) in your exhibit. Don’t mess with the fans of the King.”

And yesterday morning (Thursday), the studio’s owners received an expletive-laden email pledging to destroy the statue today, prompting them to report the matter to Hackney Police.

Viv Broughton, chief executive of The Premises, said: “So far we haven’t been taking the threats very seriously but a few of them have become quite specific. The level of abuse has been extraordinary so we’re taking a few precautionary measures just to be on the safe side.”

A spokeswoman for Hackney Police said: “We’re investigating an allegation of malicious telecoms.”