Disgraced former Conservative peer Baroness Michelle Mone has been granted permission to retain substantial rental income from a luxury London mansion, despite a multi-million pound freezing order on her and her husband's assets.
Court Amends Freezing Order
The High Court has amended a £75 million asset freezing order imposed on Baroness Mone and her husband, Doug Barrowman, two years ago. The order, initially secured as Britain's National Crime Agency investigated a pandemic PPE deal, has been modified to allow the couple to collect and use rental proceeds from a Grade-II listed Belgravia property worth an estimated £25 million.
Reports indicate the mansion generates an estimated £15,000 per week in rent. The amendment, approved by Judge Tony Baumgartner, the Recorder of Westminster, at a hearing in Southwark Crown Court, explicitly states: “Any rental income from this property is not restrained and there is no restriction on the use to which this income may be put.”
The PPE Medpro Scandal
The asset freeze is connected to the investigation into PPE Medpro, a consortium run by Mr Barrowman. The company was awarded a £122 million government contract to supply personal protective equipment during the Covid-19 pandemic. However, in October 2025, a High Court judge ordered the firm to repay the money after finding it had breached the contract.
PPE Medpro, which is said to owe the Department of Health a total of £148 million, was placed into liquidation last month. Separately, the company is reported to owe HMRC £39 million. Despite the ongoing civil and criminal probes, Baroness Mone and Mr Barrowman have consistently denied any wrongdoing and have not been charged with any criminal offence.
Property and Business Links
The central London mansion at the heart of the ruling is owned by an Isle of Man-based company within Mr Barrowman's business empire. The firm purchased the property for £9.25 million in December 2020 and later secured planning permission for a major refurbishment, including excavating a basement for a cinema and spa. The property had been listed for sale at £25 million.
This development occurs amidst intense scrutiny of pandemic-related procurement. Baroness Mone previously criticised the High Court judgment against PPE Medpro as “shocking but all too predictable”, calling it an “Establishment win for the Government.” The case continues to highlight broader concerns over the management of public funds during the health crisis.
