First Jail Terms for Insider Bets on 2024 UK Election

Three former Conservative Party officials have now been sentenced for betting on the 2024 UK General Election before the date was made public. Anthony Lee, Laura Lee and Amy Hind each walked out of court with a suspended prison term, unpaid work and a 12-month ban on online gambling apps.

Anthony Lee ran the party's campaigning operation. He placed more than 60 bets, £1,549 in total, and stood to collect around £15,000. His punishment: 10 months and two weeks, suspended for 12 months, plus 100 hours of unpaid work. Laura Lee, ex-Head of International and a 2024 Conservative candidate, staked £535 across eight bets for a potential £5,000 profit. Four months and two weeks, suspended for 12 months. Forty hours of unpaid work.

Then there's Amy Hind, a former Tory employee who now works as an NHS business support manager. She placed or tried to place seven bets worth over £2,300, with a potential £26,000 return. Six months suspended for 12 months, and 50 hours of unpaid work. The Lees will each pay £1,000 in prosecution costs.

Katharine Diamond, General Counsel at the Gambling Commission, described the case as a significant first for the regulator. "Betting markets must be fair and must not be undermined by people using confidential information for their own benefit," she said.

More charges are still working their way through the courts. Craig Williams has pleaded guilty and is waiting to be sentenced. Simon Chatfield, Paul Place, Iain Makepeace, James Ward, Thomas James, Russell George, Charlotte Lang, Jacob Willmer, Jeremy Hunt and Nick Mason are set to stand trial in September 2027 and January 2028.