Retail executive set to face trial in Yorkshire

Sir David Jones, of Ilkley, was charged earlier this year with two offences of making a misleading statement and one offence “of using a false instrument.”

The 70-year-old was executive chairman of JJB Sports between January 2009 and January 2010. The firm went into administration in October last year.

His 38-year-old son Stuart Jones, of Bingley, who was JJB’s head of marketing in 2009, was charged with one offence of “aiding and abetting David Jones’s use of a false instrument”.

Neither man attended a hearing held yesterday at Leeds Magistrates’ Court, but the proceedings are now expected to take place at Leeds Crown Court rather than in London.

No pleas have yet been entered in the case and both defendants are on unconditional bail.

David Jones is also a former chief executive of Next, the UK’s second largest clothing retailer.

He became chairman of JJB in January 2009 and instigated a rescue plan for the struggling firm. He stepped down a year later to continue his long-running battle against Parkinson’s Disease. He has suffered from the debilitating neurodegenerative disease since 1982.

Charges against both men follow the discovery of material during enquiries related to criminal proceedings against Christopher Ronnie, a former chief executive of JJB.