JJB Sports chief's son cleared of fraud

The West Yorkshire-based son of the former executive chairman of the now-defunct JJB Sports chain has been cleared of helping his father to use a forged bank statement, the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has confirmed.

Stuart Jones, 40, of Bingley, had been on trial at Leeds Crown Court charged with aiding and abetting Sir David Jones in his use of a false instrument.

According to the SFO, Mr Jones, who was the former head of marketing of JJB Sports, was found not guilty on Wednesday of one count of aiding and abetting the use of a false instrument, contrary to Section 3 of the Forgery and Counterfeiting Act 1981.

The jury was told at the start of the trial that Sir David, who has Parkinson's, would not face trial due to his ill-health.

On Wednesday, the SFO said that Mr Jones gave evidence in the trial that he did not know the bank statement in question was a forgery but suggested that his father, amongst others, could have been responsible.

The case against his father involved loans he received while "heavily in debt" of £1.5 million each from Mike Ashley, owner of the Sports Direct chain, and Dave Whelan, the original founder of JJB Sports and owner of DW Sports.