A man, who claims to be the “world’s most prolific sperm donor”, says he’s fathered 129 children, with another nine on the way.
Clive Jones, has been donating his sperm for the last nine years and continues to do so at the age of 66.
Health experts have issued a medical warning regarding his activities, saying that all donors and patients should be treated at a licensed UK clinic.
Mr Jones himself says he’s had a lot of people question him over why he does it, but believes they would understand if they saw the “happiness it brings” to the families he provides his free donations to.
Mr Jones says he’s been married since 1978, but now lives apart from his wife who he says is “not at all happy about” what he does.
In 2018, Mr Jones, who is originally from Burton but moved to Chaddesden four years ago, appeared in 4 Men 175 Babies , a Channel 4 documentary, which follows the lives of four men who donate their sperm for free to women who contacted them online.
A clip from the show was featured on Gogglebox , which has received more than four million views on Facebook, according to Derbyshire Live.
Retired teacher Clive, said: “I’m probably the world’s most prolific sperm donor with now being at 138 ‘babies’, well, 129 babies born, nine ongoing pregnancies. I might continue for another few years. Get to 150 anyway.
“I know of clinics and sperm merchants with greater numbers but they don’t donate, but rather sell semen.
“I think people would understand more if they saw the messages I get and the photos of the babies with very happy mothers.
“I feel the happiness it brings. I once had a grandmother message me thanking me for her granddaughter.
“I do it for free, though sometimes ask a bit for petrol. It’s illegal to charge and doesn’t seem right to take money when I have more than them.”
Having only started donating his sperm aged 58, he was unable to become an official sperm donor because banks have an upper donor age limit of 45.
He then turned to the unregulated world of Facebook, where he found an overwhelming demand.
Mr Jones, who has three grown-up children of his own, said: “It all started in May, over nine years ago. For some people, having children is very important as it was for me.
“I read in some newspapers the plight of some people that can’t have children. Reading the newspaper, it explained how people were using Facebook to make arrangements.
“I thought I could help so I put a post on one of the sites. I wasn’t expecting any response with me saying how old I was, but I had a lady in Derby contacting me within an hour asking me to help that evening.
“I’ve not advertised I’m a donor in years. It has not quite worked out as I had guessed, I’m just as busy now and have so many people contact me through people just talking, referring.”
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority has issued a medical warning regarding Mr Jones’ activities, saying that all donors and patients should be treated at a licensed UK clinic.
A spokeswoman for the authority said: “As the regulator of UK fertility treatment and research we don’t have the powers to stop people from making their own arrangements for sperm donation but we do want to help them get the information and advice they need to make the best informed choices, which is why we always encourage both donors and patients to be treated at a licensed UK clinic.
“If arrangements are made outside of the clinic environment there can be medical and legal risks, for example, without the proper consents in place the donor is likely to be seen as the legal parent, with all the rights and responsibilities that involves. Clinics will also rigorously test all donors for medical and hereditary illnesses.
“That’s why we always encourage sperm donors and patients to go to a licensed clinic, where these medical and legal issues are taken care of for them, and where the welfare of the child is always of primary concern.”
Of the 129 children he claims to have fathered, Mr Jones says he’s “met around 20 of the babies” which are located within around a 70-mile radius of Derby, including in Birmingham, Stoke and Nottingham.
After first making contact, Mr Jones says he then “gets to know” the couple, who are often same-sex or cannot have children of their own, and discuss when their ovulation cycle is.
He said he then places the date on his planner, and when he gets the call saying ovulation is only hours away, he jumps into his van and drives close to where they live.
Describing how he does it, Mr Jones previously told Derbyshire Live: “I drive somewhere where I’m not likely to be disturbed and go into the back of the van and pull the curtains down.
“Then I take the cup and a syringe so the stuff can’t come out, put a bag under my arm and text them to say I’m outside and I’ll be round in three minutes.
“If that doesn’t work sometimes they suggest I meet them in a car park.
“I can tell how nervous they are. No other donor does it from their van normally, they go to the front door and ask to use the toilet.”
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