Senior Tories, including a former MP who was a close aide of Rishi Sunak, are set to stand trial over allegations they cheated while gambling on the date of the 2024 General Election.
Craig Williams, who was the MP for Montgomeryshire and Mr Sunak’s parliamentary private secretary, is accused 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.
Rishi Sunak called 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 appeared together in the dock at Westminster magistrates court on Friday, to face charges brought following a Gambling Commission investigation.
Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring was told by prosecutors that the defendants were “trying to get easy money”.
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.”
The court heard Mr Sunak has given evidence himself as part of the criminal investigation.
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.
Mr Stein told the court Williams served as PPS to Mr Sunak from October 2022 to June 2024, acting as his “eyes and ears” in Parliament.
“He advised on the state of the Parliamentary party, and acted as a two-way channel of communication.
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.
Williams, Wilmer, and Hunt gave no indication of their pleas to the charges, while the other 12 defendant indicated they intend to plea not guilty.
The court heard the bets at the centre of the case are in the “hundreds” of pounds, and were limited by the rules of the betting companies.
Chatfield, 51, of Vicarage Hill in Lower Bourne, Farnham, George, 51, who gave his solicitors’ address to the court, Amy Hind, 34, of Mannock Drive in Loughton, Essex, Hunt, 55, of Wilmots Lane in Horley, James, 38, who gave his solicitors’ address to the court, Lang, 36, who gave her solicitors’ address to the court, Anthony Lee, 48, and Laura Saunders, 37, who both gave his solicitors’ address to the court, Makepeace, 47, from Burnopfield in Newcastle, Mason, 51, who gave his solicitors’ address to the court, Place, 54, from Hammersmith, London, Ward, 40, of Norfolk Gardens in Leeds, Williams, 40, of Llanfair Caereinion, Wales, and Willmer, 39, from Southwater in Horsham, are all accused of cheating at gambling.
Anthony Lee faces a second charge of enabling or assisting a person to cheat at gambling.
Williams faces an additional three charges of enabling or assisting a person to cheat at gambling.
Anthony Hind, 36, also of Mannock Drive in Loughton, is charged with a single count of enabling or assisting a person to cheat at gambling.
Judge Goldspring sent the case to Southwark crown court, for a preliminary hearing on July 11.
When announcing the charges, the Gambling Commission said it had “charged 15 people with offences under the Gambling Act 2005 following an investigation into alleged cheating related to bets placed on the timing of the 2024 General Election.
“The investigation, initiated in June 2024, focused on individuals suspected of using confidential information - specifically advance knowledge of the proposed election date - to gain an unfair advantage in betting markets. Such actions constitute an offence of cheating under Section 42 of the Gambling Act 2005, a criminal offence.”
A Conservative Party spokesman said at the time: “The Conservative Party believes that those working in politics must act with integrity. Current members of staff who have been charged are being suspended with immediate effect.
“Our Party is now under new leadership and we are cooperating fully with the Gambling Commission to ensure that their investigation can conclude swiftly and transparently.”
All defendants were released from the court on unconditional bail.
