Jones was a
metallurgist by training who worked for many years in the technical branches of the UK
Ministry of Defence. He specialised initially in the effects of radiation on the integrity of metals, particularly in the construction of nuclear reactor pressure vessels. From 1987 until his retirement in 2003, he worked in the technical branch of the
Defence Intelligence Staff, specialising in
counter-proliferation of
weapons of mass destruction. He was credited for being sceptical of the WMD claims regarding Iraq.
Evidence Having spent most of his career in the deliberately low-profile world of nuclear energy and then in intelligence work, he came to public notice in the summer of 2003 when, shortly after his retirement from the MoD, he gave evidence to the
Hutton Inquiry, which was set up following the death of Dr
David Kelly to investigate allegations that the so-called "
dodgy dossier" of material was published by the government of
Tony Blair in order to justify the 2003 invasion of Iraq. In his report,
Lord Hutton reported that Jones' concerns over the '45 minute' claims had not been considered by either the then
Chief of Defence Intelligence,
Air Marshal Sir
Joe French or the
Joint Intelligence Committee. Following his retirement and appearance before the Hutton enquiry, Jones went on to give evidence to both the
Butler Review and the
Chilcot Inquiry to give evidence on the intelligence available to Ministers before the 2003 Invasion of Iraq. He also wrote a book entitled "Failing Intelligence", which was accepted by
Sir John Chilcot as his evidence to that enquiry. ==Post retirement==