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Two more admit General Election betting offences

10 September 2026

Today, 10 September, Anthony Lee pleaded guilty to two offences of cheating, contrary to section 42(1)(a) and section 42(1)(b) of the Gambling Act 2005.

Laura Lee (formerly Saunders) pleaded guilty to one offence of cheating, contrary to section 42(1)(a) of the Gambling Act 2005.

The 2024 General Election date of 4 July 2024 was announced to the public by then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on 22 May 2024. In advance of this announcement there was significant planning for a 4 July 2024 General Election.

Planning happened at 10 Downing Street and amongst staff at Conservative Campaign Headquarters.

Before the date of the General Election was announced, various gambling operators offered special markets in the lead up to the election announcement as to when the General Election would be held.

This was not a market to be abused by those with inside information as to when the election would be held. Anthony Lee was the Conservative Party's Director of Campaigning. As a result of his senior role, Anthony Lee was party to highly sensitive discussions about the timing of the General Election, held at Conservative Campaign Headquarters and involving senior party staff. Instead of keeping this information confidential, Anthony Lee used it to place bets and passed it on to his wife.

Laura Lee was Head of International for the Conservative Party and the Conservative candidate for Bristol North-West at the 2024 General Election. Laura Lee placed bets on the 2024 General Election with the benefit of confidential information passed to her by her husband about when that election would be called.

Anthony Lee, Laura Lee and Amy Hind are due to be sentenced at Southwark Crown Court on 23 October 2026.

Craig Williams pleaded Guilty on 29th June and will be sentenced at a later date.

The trials of the 10 defendants will take place in September 2027 and January 2028.

Last updated: 10 September 2026

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