Three people linked to the Conservative Party have received suspended prison sentences after admitting they used confidential information to bet on the timing of the 2024 UK general election.

Anthony Lee, the party’s former director of campaigning, his wife Laura Lee and Amy Hind were sentenced at Southwark Crown Court on October 23. All three had previously pleaded guilty to cheating at gambling under Section 42 of the Gambling Act 2005.

Judge Tony Baumgartner said their conduct “risked undermining” public confidence in the Conservative Party “as an institution”.

Anthony Lee received 10 months and two weeks’ imprisonment, suspended for 12 months. Laura Lee was sentenced to four months and two weeks, also suspended for a year, while Hind received a six-month sentence suspended for 12 months.

The case represents the first convictions arising from the Gambling Commission’s investigation into betting on the date of the 2024 general election.

Bets Followed Confidential Election Discussions

The court heard that former prime minister Rishi Sunak held a private Downing Street meeting on March 10, 2024 to discuss possible election dates.

Sunak had circulated a document containing three options, with potential polling dates ranging from May 2 to July 4. Anthony Lee had also been involved in discussions with senior Conservative figures before the meeting.

Neither Anthony nor Laura Lee attended the Downing Street meeting. Prosecutors said the couple began placing online bets while it was taking place.

According to The Independent, Prosecutor Zoe Johnson KC said: “Although not at Number 10, the overwhelming inference is that Anthony Lee was receiving inside information as the meeting went on and was acting upon it.”

She added: “Together they were using it to make a profit for themselves.”

Anthony Lee placed or attempted to place 71 bets between March and May. Laura Lee placed eight and attempted another.

The couple staked more than £2,000 and stood to receive more than £23,000 if their bets had succeeded. Almost all of the wagers backed either July or a July-to-September election window.

Johnson said Anthony Lee “was part and parcel of the group charged with delivering the election campaign at the very highest level of the party machine”.

Anthony Lee admitted two cheating charges, while Laura Lee admitted one.

Hind Faced Separate Betting Charges

Amy Hind also pleaded guilty after placing or attempting to place seven bets worth more than £2,300.

All but one of those wagers backed a July election. Prosecutors said she could have received more than £26,000 if the bets had succeeded.

At the time, Hind worked as a business support manager at the NHS Counter Fraud Authority. Her husband, Anthony Hind, served as the Conservative Party’s deputy digital director.

Johnson told the court that Hind learned of the July 4 working date “either by her husband or one of her close contacts she had at CCHQ”.

“She knew that the information was confidential and secret.

“That knowledge gave her an advantage when she placed bets on the date of the general election.”

Together, the three defendants stood to receive £49,380 in potential returns, including their original stakes.

Political betting itself is legal in the UK. The charges concerned the alleged use of confidential information to gain an unfair advantage.

Katharine Diamond, general counsel at the Gambling Commission, said:

“Betting markets must be fair and must not be undermined by people using confidential information for their own benefit.”

“These convictions demonstrate the importance of protecting the integrity of gambling markets and acting where there is evidence that individuals have sought to cheat.

“We will continue to investigate suspected criminal activity and use our powers to protect the integrity of gambling,” she added.

The court also imposed additional requirements on the defendants.

Anthony Lee must complete 100 hours of unpaid work, while Laura Lee received 40 hours and Hind 50 hours. All three are subject to probation requirements and cannot use online gambling applications for 12 months.

Former Conservative MP Craig Williams has also pleaded guilty to cheating in connection with election-date betting and is awaiting sentencing.

A further group of defendants has been charged in the wider investigation, with trials scheduled for September 2027 and January 2028.