secret son
The singer’s son has spoken out in a last-ditch attempt to get to know his dad
Sir Tom Jones has had a career spanning more than 50 years, and is worth an estimated $312 million. But his secret love child Jon Jones – real name Jonathan Berkery – is homeless, and has barely seen a penny of his dad’s massive fortune. Jon was born in June 1988, after his superstar father had an affair with aspiring model Katherine Berkery. She was 24 and he was 47 when they met in a New York nightclub in October 1987 and embarked on a fling. Although Tom married childhood sweetheart Linda Trenchard when they were both 16, he has bragged that he slept with up to 250 women a year at the height of his career. But according to Katherine, Tom brushed her off after she found out she was pregnant, and he’s taken the same approach with his estranged son.
TRICKED & SEDUCED
DNA tests proved Tom’s paternity and he was ordered to pay $3000 a month in child maintenance until Jon turned 18. But the 77-year-old did not publicly acknowledge that he had another son until 2008, and he insisted he had been conned into it.
“It wasn’t something I had planned,” Tom said. “If I had planned it, I would have done something more than just financially. But it wasn’t. I was tricked, really. I just fell for it. I just fell for the seduction.”
Now, 29-year-old Jon is sleeping on a mat of a New Jersey homeless shelter after battling a drug addiction and struggling to keep a job. He is desperate to see his famous father.
“I’d like to talk to him about normal stuff, like: ‘How’s your life been? This is mine,’” Jon says. “He’s getting old and he could be ill. I want to see him before it is too late.
“For years I was angry and I didn’t want to see him. I was conflicted. Now I know life is too short. I need to get to know him. I just hope he feels the same.”
Following the death of Tom’s wife in 2016, Jon has reached out to his half-brother Mark, who also acts as the star’s manager. But four months later, he still hasn’t heard back. And sources say Jon, an aspiring singer himself, shouldn’t expect a call from Tom or Mark any time soon.
“Tom refuses to acknowledge that he has a second son, and no one expects that to change,” an insider tells Woman’s Day. “A lot of his friends say it’s pretty cold-hearted of him, because with his millions he wouldn’t even miss the money.
“But Tom is quite ruthless about this and doesn’t want anyone riding on his coat-tails. He worked his way up from nothing to become one of the biggest stars around. Tom never got a helping hand, so he thinks you’ve got to make something of yourself and doesn’t believe in handouts. That’s all very well, but Mark has had access to a lot of his dad’s fortune.”
‘Tom refuses to acknowledge that he has a second son’
While Jon has shared his story in a d desperate bd bid to reunite with hh his fh father, friends believe the ageing Sex Bomb singer won’t ever connect with his son.
NOT PART OF THE FAMILY
“Although Tom must know that it looks bad for Jon to be telling the whole world he’s homeless, that most likely won’t change anything,” another insider explains.
“Tom loved Linda and he probably doesn’t want to be reminded of his many infidelities. Now that Jon is an adult, he’s not Tom’s responsibility anymore. Tom will see this as an attempt by Jon to get some fast cash.
“The sad truth is that he really doesn’t view Jon as his son and won’t suddenly decide to accept him as part of the family. He would rather act like Jon never existed.”