The 15 people charged with offences relating to bets placed on the timing of the UK’s 2024 general election appeared in court on Friday, June 13.
Twelve of them, including former chief marketing officer for the Conservative party Simon Chatfield, the former Conservative data minister Nick Mason and Laura Saunders, the Conservative candidate for Bristol North West, entered a plea of not guilty.
Three of them – Rishi Sunak’s former parliamentary private secretary Craig Williams, former police officer Jeremy Hunt and Jacob Willmer – entered no plea.
The charges were brought by Great Britain’s Gambling Commission (GBGC) after an investigation with 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,” the GBGC stated.
All are due to reappear in court on July 11.
