[1] Jones began his career in journalism; firstly with New Review as a reporter, and then later as features editor.

[1] Between 1957 and 1966, he became a prolific screenwriter and producer, his first production being screened in Sunday Night Theatre in 1959.

In 1963, he was made Head of Drama (Series), holding the position for the next three years.

Further spinoffs featuring the character Barlow were aired in 1973, with Jack the Ripper, and in 1976, with Second Verdict.

He wrote regularly for The Sunday Telegraph, and was the author of several true crime novels including The Last Two to Hang (1966; for which he won the Edgar Allan Poe Award from the Mystery Writers of America), The Ripper File (1973; co-written with John Lloyd), On Trial: Seven Intriguing Cases of Capital Crime (1978); The Deep Concern (1979) and Death Files (1981).