A former Conservative MP will not stand trial until 2028 over allegations he cheated at gambling on the date of the 2024 General Election.
Craig Williams, who was the MP for Montgomeryshire and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s parliamentary private secretary in the last government, is accused alongside top Tory officials of cheating at gambling in May 2024, just before his boss called the election.
The MP, who went on to lose his seat, is also accused of feeding confidential information about election planning to three others so that they could cheat on bets.
At Southwark crown court on Friday, Williams and his 14 co-defendants were told they will be divided into two trials, to take place in September 2027 and January 2028.
Williams is set to be in the second trial.
Judge Tony Baumgartner adjourned all the cases until December 15, when a preliminary hearing is expected to be held. A second hearing has been set for January 19 next year.
In an earlier, separate hearing, the same judge was forced to issue apologies to defendants in a fraud and money laundering case when their trial – scheduled for next week - was cancelled and relisted in November 2026.
He said the courthouse is “trying our best” in the face of chronic delays in criminal justice which are affecting the entire country.
Latest Ministry of Justice figures show the backlog of case in the crown courts is now more than 76,000. Some courts in London are listing trials for 2029.
The gambling allegations revolve around Mr Sunak’s decision to call a General Election on May 22 last year, setting the voting date for July 4. It was a move that surprised many commentators who had thought the Tories would wait until late autumn or winter to go to the polls.
The 15 defendants – including a Metropolitan Police officer – were charged with criminal offences after a Gambling Commission investigation.
An earlier court was told the defendants are accused of “trying to get easy money” by allegedly using inside information to place winning bets.
Prosecutor Sam Stein said the Gambling Commission launched its investigation “into political employees of the Conservative Party, contractors, and a police officer who placed bets on the date of the 2024 General Election.
“That was with the benefit of confidential or inside information as to when the date of the election would be.
“Use of the betting markets by placing bets with confidential or inside information is a criminal offence.”
Williams is accused of passing confidential information to Charlotte Lang, a friend and 2019 Tory election candidate, Thomas James, a director of Welsh Conservatives, and Russell George, a Tory member of the Welsh Parliament, who – similar to Williams - also represents Montgomeryshire.
George was in the shadow cabinet in the Senedd but has been suspended by the Welsh Conservatives, and after being charged he announced he would not run for re-election.
Williams served as PPS to Mr Sunak from October 2022 to June 2024, acting as his “eyes and ears” in Parliament, the court heard.
Also charged are Tony Lee, the Tories’ director of campaigning, and his wife Laura Saunders, who ran unsuccessfully as the Conservative candidate for Bristol North West in the election.
Tony Lee is accused of passing confidential information to his wife, while both of them are accused of cheating at gambling.
Ex-police officer Jeremy Hunt, who was part of Mr Sunak’s Met Police close protection unit, is accused of placing a bet allegedly after learning about the election date in confidence.
The list of defendants also includes Nick Mason, formerly the Tories’ chief data officer, Simon Chatfield, a former Conservative party marketing officer, Iain Makepeace, the Tories’ former head of creative, design and print, Nick Mason, a Tory councillor in Herefordshire, Paul Place, a trustee on a Conservative Party charity, James Ward, and Jacob Wilmer, who was formerly a special advisor in government.
Completing the list of those charged are Anthony Hind, a deputy digital director for the Tories, who is accused of passing confidential information to Amy Hind, herself accused of cheating at gambling.
At the first court hearing, Williams, Wilmer, and Hunt gave no indication of their pleas to the charges, while the other 12 defendant indicated they intend to plead not guilty.
Williams, 40, of Llanfair Caereinion, Wales, is accused of four counts of cheating, while Anthony Lee, 48, of Ferry Street, Bristol, faces two counts of cheating.
Chatfield, 51, of Vicarage Hill in Lower Bourne, Farnham, George, 51, of Brynmor Park, Newtown, Wales, Amy Hind, 34, and Anthony Hind, 36, both of Mannock Drive in Loughton, Essex, Hunt, 55, of Wilmots Lane in Horley, James, 38, from Brecon, Wales, Lang, 36, from Brixton, south London, Laura Saunders, 37, also from Ferry Street in Bristol, Makepeace, 47, from Burnopfield in Newcastle, Mason, 51, from Milton on Stour, Gillingham, Place, 54, from Hammersmith, London, Ward, 40, of Norfolk Gardens in Leeds, and Willmer, 39, from Southwater in Horsham, are all accused of a single allegation of cheating.
