A disgraced billionaire tech tycoon has been stripped of his MBE after being jailed for drugging and raping two women.
Lawrence Jones, 55, who was once dubbed “Britain’s nicest boss”, was sentenced to 15 years in prison in December 2023 after being found guilty of sexually assaulting three women.
The father-of-four was convicted of drugging and raping two “stunned” women in the early 1990s while earning a living as a hotel pianist.
Following his verdicts, it was revealed that in January he was found guilty of sexually assaulting a UKFast employee in 2013.
Jones was appointed MBE for “services to the digital economy” in the 2015 New Year’s Honors list. However, this honor has now been “cancelled and annulled” by King Charles following his convictions late last year.
This was announced on Friday by the London Gazette.
The official statement reads: “THE KING has ordered that the appointment of Lawrence Nigel JONES as a Member of the Civil Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, dated 31 December 2014, be canceled and annulled and that his name will be removed of the Registry of said Order.”
Jones was convicted following two trials at Manchester Crown Court last year.
Disgraced tech tycoon Lawrence Jones, 55, has been stripped of his MBE after being jailed for drugging and raping two women (pictured with his medal).
Businessman Jones, seen outside court, lunged at both women in his flat while working as a hotel pianist in the early 1990s. Pictured outside Manchester Crown Court in January.
Shortly afterwards, Manchester Metropolitan University stripped him of the honorary doctorate it awarded him in 2016.
Jurors were unanimous in their decision to convict him of two counts of rape.
It was then revealed that Jones, who founded Hulme-based tech company UK Fast, had already spent 10 months in prison after being found guilty of sexual assault following another trial in January.
He was convicted of sexually assaulting a woman in a hotel room during a business trip a decade ago.
At the second trial later that year, the court heard that Jones also attacked two women in the 1990s while playing the piano in pubs and hotels across the city.
Jones was sentenced to 14 years for the rape of Woman A, concurrent with a seven-year sentence for the rape of Woman B.
He was ordered to serve a consecutive year in prison for sexual assault.
Jones’ success led to him being appointed MBE in 2015 for services to the digital economy (pictured with wife Gail)
Jones, who was once dubbed “Britain’s nicest boss”, was sentenced to 15 years in prison in December 2023.
Judge Sarah Johnston handed him a combined 15-year sentence and told him he had behaved with “entitlement, dominance and complete disregard for women’s rights and freedoms”.
He said the success of the £700m business empire Jones created with his “loyal” wife masked the reality of a workplace that was “tainted by his attitude towards women”.
Jones had earned a reputation as a business guru, playing chess against Sir Richard Branson on Necker Island and appearing regularly on the BBC.
Jones, of Brooks Drive, was also ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register for life and pay court costs of £52,242.