'I became a drug dealer after my dad Tom Jones rejected me': Star's love child speaks out about being 'abandoned' by father



The Voice star 'refuses to acknowledge' love-child Jonathan Berkery, 24

He claims he slept rough because he was abandoned by Sir Tom

Berkery's mother had three-day fling with Sir Tom in 1987 when he was 47

He has gained a new generation of fans as a judge on The Voice, where he is cast as the father-figure.

It is, however, a side to 72-year-old Tom Jones that his illegitimate former drug-addict son is still waiting to see.

Jonathan Berkery, 24, said yesterday he became a gun-carrying drug dealer who slept rough because he was abandoned by Sir Tom, who has always refused to acknowledge his existence.

Jonathan Berkery, 24, said he became a gun-carrying drug dealer who slept rough because he was abandoned by Sir Tom, who has always refused to acknowledge his existence

Mr Berkery, who uses the name Jon Jones, slept on park benches, in his car or homeless shelters for more than two years after he was befriended by a drug gang as a teenager.

And he blames Sir Tom, claiming: ‘It all stems back to my dad. I don’t think I realised it for a long time but I was one angry kid, crying out for a father.’

Mr Berkery’s mother Katherine, who was a model, became pregnant at 24 after a three-day fling with Sir Tom in 1987 when he was 47.

She was forced to take Sir Tom to court and was handed £1,700 a month in child support after DNA tests revealed he was the father.

However, although the Welsh singer has fulfilled his responsibilities financially, he has refused to provide the emotional support Mr Berkery craved growing up.

Mr Berkery said he never received a phone call or birthday card from Sir Tom and it ruined his life.

He said: ‘I was very angry. My anger boiled over in school – I fought every kid and rebelled constantly.



Mr Berkery's mother Katherine, who was a model, became pregnant at 24 after a three-day fling with Sir Tom in 1987 when he was 47

Mr Berkery (pictured as a child, left with his mother), claims he slept on park benches, in his car or homeless shelters for more than two years after he was befriended by a drug gang



'I lost count of the times I changed schools. I needed a father figure. I leaned towards older bad guys.

'Sometimes I wanted to meet my father, sometimes I didn’t. It’s the same now – I am totally conflicted.’

Mr Berkery said he turned to drugs to help him cope with rejection from Sir Tom, and so began his downward spiral which led to him dealing and carrying guns.

He said: ‘I tried to numb the pain with drugs – I’ve been smoking weed since I was 16 and I progressed to prescription pills, then ecstasy and cocaine.



'I was never a heavy drug user. I just dabbled. But when I was selling drugs I wasn’t really using. I bought two pistols. I called them The Brothers and wore them in shoulder holsters.’

Although the Welsh singer (right) has fulfilled his responsibilities financially, he has refused to provide the emotional support Mr Berkery (left) said he craved growing up

Mr Berkery says he started living on the streets after his mother threw him out of the house. ‘Then a couple of years ago, after an arrest for drug possession, I discovered half-way hostels. I had drug counselling and lived in a shelter.’

Now he has moved back in with his estate agent mother in Charlotte, North Carolina, and is determined to carve out a career as a singer ‘to prove myself in spite of my father’.



Mr Berkery said he often fantasises about appearing on The Voice, the BBC1 talent show which began a second series on Saturday night, to force Sir Tom to acknowledge him.

He said: ‘I like to imagine that I am on the show singing, he swivels around in his big chair, realises I am his son and I just make a rude gesture at him with my middle finger.’