Mr Jones said it was his first opportunity to offer an apology

Jeff Jones said he was wrong to suggest the parents put the Welsh language before the interests of their children.

Speaking on the BBC Wales programme Dragon's Eye, Mr Jones admitted he sometimes used "intemperate language".

But he denied he was guilty of contempt of court over his written comments to Wales' children's commissioner, Peter Clarke about the inquiry into John Owen, known as Clywch.

I think other people might be protecting the Welsh language, but they (the parents of alleged victims) were certainly not and I would like to apologise to them for that Jeff Jones

He denied the reaction to his initial comments had anything to do with his announcement this week that he is to step down at this year's council election.

Mr Jones - one of the most colourful and controversial figures in Welsh local government - has taken legal advice over the contempt allegation.

He said he would defend himself vigorously at a special hearing of the Clywch inquiry next week.

He said: "I think I should apologise to the parents. I didn't mean them. I think I was very intemperate in the way I wrote that letter.

John Owen killed himself before a sex abuse trial could begin

"I wrote the letter when I was very angry indeed, having seen a former colleague of mine described as a very unsatisfactory witness.

"What I did mean to say, and what I did say in a second letter to Peter Clarke was, when I was a governor of a Welsh-medium school, people did put the Welsh language before the interests of a child.

"And I think, with hindsight, I was wrong to imply the parents of the alleged victims did that.

"I think other people might be protecting the Welsh language, but they were certainly not and I would like to apologise to them for that."

The inquiry examines the case of John Owen, a drama teacher at Ysgol Gyfun Rhydfelen school near Pontypridd, who committed suicide two years ago, just before his trial for sex abuse charges.

It is trying to establish why there was not a fuller investigation of the allegations against him ten years previously.