Thaindian News

New York, May 28 (ANI): Jesse James’ claim that he cheated on his wife actress Sandra Bullock because he suffered abuse as a child at his estranged father’s hands has created a controversy among his family members.

James, 41, revealed on ABC’s “Nightline” that a string of abuses by his father, Larry James, instilled a lack of self-worth in him.

“He beat my ass pretty good a bunch of times. … I just remember, like, clinched teeth, strained-neck look on his face,” the New York Daily News quoted James as saying in the highly publicized sitdown.

“My whole childhood, I never had a chance to be a kid. … I was always scared.

“I cheated because, you know, I’ve basically never felt good enough for anyone,” he added.

In the wake of James’ claims, his family has issued statements regarding the alleged abuse.

According to TMZ.com, James’ sister, Julie, supported her brother’s story in an interview in which she claims that the elder James was “very abusive” to their mother.

Julie said their father forced a young Jesse to retrieve a ball from a neighbour’s yard one night - an incident that led to him breaking his arm as he tried to climb a fence at his father’s insistence.

But James’ estranged father has however, denied his son’s allegations in an interview with RadarOnline.com.

“I never even remember spanking my kids. He was the apple of my eye,” he told the site. (ANI)