Lawrence Jones, former UKFast CEO, has had his MBE revoked following a legal judgement for serious offences.
- Jones was convicted of raping two women and sexually assaulting a third in Greater Manchester, leading to a 14-year prison sentence.
- The honours revocation was officially announced in the London Gazette alongside those of five others, including a notable figure.
- Originally recognised for digital contributions, Jones has also lost his honorary doctorate from Manchester Metropolitan University.
- This incident has triggered a notable reaction from the tech community, condemning his actions.
Lawrence Jones, once celebrated for his contributions to the digital economy, has been stripped of his Member of the British Empire (MBE) status. The decision follows his conviction for raping two women and committing sexual assault against a third in Greater Manchester. Sentenced to 14 years for the rapes and an additional consecutive year for the assault, Jones had denied the allegations throughout the trial.
The official revocation of the MBE was documented in the London Gazette and accompanied by the removal of honours from five other individuals, including Tory donor Lord Rami Ranger. The statement regarding Jones was clear in its directive from the monarch: ‘The King has directed that the appointment of Lawrence Nigel Jones to be a Member of the Civil Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, dated 31 December 2014, shall be cancelled and annulled and that his name shall be erased from the register of the said order’.
Jones’s accomplishments in the tech sector were once a source of pride, earning him not only the MBE but also an honorary doctorate from Manchester Metropolitan University in 2016. However, that honour was rescinded as a consequence of his criminal activities, underscoring the gravity of his offences.
The tech community has reacted strongly to Jones’s conviction and the subsequent stripping of his MBE. Social media has been rife with expressions of relief and anger, with one prominent comment summing up the general sentiment as ‘Good riddance to bad rubbish’. The swift and emphatic response underlines the community’s zero-tolerance stance on such serious crimes.
The revocation of Lawrence Jones’s awards marks a significant fall from grace, reflecting the serious nature of his crimes.
