Care Worker Inherits £50M Estate, Now Faces Trial for Pub Fight

Jordan Adlard-Rogers, 38, is on trial for allegedly breaking a man's leg in a pub fight on July 13, 2024, months after inheriting a substantial estate. Adlard-Rogers, who worked as a care worker, spent years attempting to prove that Charles Rogers, the holder of the 1,536-acre Penrose Estate in Cornwall, was his father. Rogers died in August 2018, and a subsequent DNA test confirmed Adlard-Rogers was his illegitimate son.

As Rogers's mother and brother had also passed away, Adlard-Rogers became the sole heir to the estate. His trial for inflicting grievous bodily harm began at Truro Crown Court. He denies the charge, which stems from an alleged incident at the Out of the Blue pub in Porthleven, Cornwall, where he is accused of punching Sebastian Winzar, causing his leg to fracture in two places.

Prosecutor Zoe Kuyken told the court that Mr. Winzar perceived Adlard-Rogers as aggressive and that the defendant appeared to be seeking a reaction. CCTV footage presented in court showed a disagreement, after which Adlard-Rogers allegedly swung his fist, causing Mr. Winzar to fall. Mr. Winzar was taken to the hospital with two fractures to his leg and a swollen lip.

Adlard-Rogers reportedly returned to the pub the following day and informed the police he expected to be questioned. In a prepared statement during his interview, he claimed he punched Mr. Winzar to make him leave him alone after being threatened.

Adlard-Rogers had previously spoken about immersing himself in his new life and his family's history following the inheritance. The Rogers family has a long history on the land, having gifted the Penrose Estate to the National Trust in 1974 under a 1,000-year lease that allowed them to continue residing there. Adlard-Rogers left his job as a community support worker to manage the estate's proceeds, expressing disbelief at his life's transformation since the inheritance.

He stated he had known about the possibility of Charles Rogers being his father since he was eight years old. Attempts to arrange a DNA test were made over the years, with Rogers's power of attorney eventually facilitating contact after Rogers's death. Adlard-Rogers mentioned that while some family members were obstructive, he was beginning to settle in and expressed a desire to establish a charity to aid local communities.

His father's inquest revealed that Charles Rogers struggled with drug abuse and died of an overdose in his car. The inquest heard there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding his death. Adlard-Rogers commented on his father's struggles, noting the pressure he felt due to family expectations and the deaths of relatives. He also mentioned his father's military service in Northern Ireland as a potentially significant factor in his later life.

The trial is set to continue with witness testimonies. Adlard-Rogers was also involved in a viral video from 2014 where he sustained a broken back after a stunt went wrong.