Manchester millionaire tech boss Lawrence Jones jailed for 15 years for rape and sexual assault

The multimillionaire founder of a Manchester based tech company has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for raping two women and sexually assaulting another.

Lawrence Jones, 55, was convicted in November 2023 of drugging and raping two women in 1998 while he worked as a hotel bar pianist.

Jurors in a separate trial in January 2023 found him guilty of sexually assaulting a female employee on a business trip in 2013.

In one of the cases, Jones called the woman a "pr*** tease" before raping her.

The court also heard that during the incident, Jones said: "So do I have to teach you a lesson (or) are you just gonna let me f*** you?"

He denied both offences, claiming the sexual contact had been consensual with one of the women, and that he had never met the other woman, but a jury unanimously found him guilty.

Jones was sentenced at Manchester Crown Court on Friday 1 December, when his three victims read their impact statements from behind a screen.

One said: "The memories came flooding back time and time again and I felt shock, disgust, repulsion, revulsion and anger at not being able to keep myself safe and stop the perpetrator from raping me."

On finding out about the allegations, another victim said she physically wretched and felt "disgusted and guilty".

She said: "I felt that if I stepped forward sooner I could have prevented what happened to those other women."

Another woman, who was raped by Jones, said: “He took my innocence and confidence and hurt me deeply as he was treating me like I was nothing. He made me feel worthless."

Judge Sarah Johnston, sentencing, told Jones: "The three offences highlight that you thought you could behave with impunity.

"They are characterised by entitlement, dominance and a total lack of regard for the rights and freedoms of these three women and, in my view, an element of sinister premeditation."

Jones, from Hale Barns, Greater Manchester, set up web hosting provider UKFast with his wife Gail from a spare bedroom in September 1999.

The company went on to deal with more than 5,000 clients including the NHS, the Ministry of Defence and the Cabinet Office.

UKFast employed around 500 staff, including many young people, and its success led to Jones being awarded an MBE in 2015 for services to the digital economy.

Judge Johnston said he had enjoyed a period of "remarkable success in business… with all the wealth and privilege that comes with it" but had created a workplace environment that was "tainted by his attitude to women".

Jones would make inappropriate and sexual comments which he passed off as “banter”, said the judge, and women were subjected to unwanted attention.

She said the defendant’s "sinister side was laid bare" with his behaviour towards the young employee he sexually assaulted in a hotel.

The judge told him: "I am satisfied you had a sexual encounter in mind from the outset.

"She was shocked, scared and confused. She was then belittled and blamed by you for being unprofessional – turning the true narrative entirely on its head."

Detective Constable Stewart of Greater Manchester Police said: "Firstly, we commend the immense courage shown by the women in both investigations for coming forward to disclose the traumatic experiences they have endured.

"Their bravery has been pivotal in bringing Lawrence Jones to account for his heinous actions and we want to express our deepest gratitude for their strength and resilience throughout this challenging investigation and trial."

Isla Chilton, Senior District Crown Prosecutor for CPS North West’s Rape and Serious Sexual Offence Unit, said: "Jones raped two women with no thought for how his actions would affect them.

"By denying the offences, he compounded the harm to the women, attempting to evade responsibility for his actions. The jury saw through his lies and found him guilty.

"I would like to thank the victims for supporting this prosecution and I hope this case will encourage others to seek justice. It’s never too late.

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