Ex Adlington pub landlord convicted of historic sexual assaults against two boys while working at a football club chef

Ieuan Jones, 67, known locally as ‘Taffy’, is expected to be sentenced at Mold Crown Court on Friday.

Jones, former licensee of the Cardwell Arms in Adlington, Chorley, had pleaded not guilty carrying out offences against the teenagers in the 1990s, but he was convicted by a jury of six counts of indecent assault and is currently remanded in custody.

Jones, now of Chorley Street, Adlington, had joined Wrexham FC in 1997 to work in the kitchen at the Collier’s Park training ground.

While there he committed offences against two boys, one who was on trials with the club.

He left Wrexham in 2004 and worked in the pub industry before taking on his own pub in Adlington.

New licensees have since taken over the Cardwell Arms but he remained living in the village.

One local said: “ During his spell as landlord of the Cardwell, which lasted around five years and ended about seven years ago, there was always a number of young boys hanging around the pub.

“He seemed to be very friendly with them, even buying a mini quad bike to ride on the car park.

It is understood the probe into Jones began when a man came forward in the wake of the football coach abuse scandal which saw former Crewe Alexandra coach Barry Bennell jailed for more than 30 years for abusing scores of young footballers. Bennell had previously been jailed for abusing former PNE reserve David Lean.

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