A former Conservative Member of Parliament is facing a significant delay, exceeding two years, before his trial commences on charges related to betting offenses, a court has been informed.
Craig Williams, 40, who previously served as the Tory MP for both Montgomeryshire and Cardiff North, appeared at Southwark Crown Court in London on Friday. The appearance follows an investigation into alleged wagers placed on the timing of the 2024 general election. Mr. Williams did not enter a plea at the hearing.
Mr. Williams, residing in Llanfair Caereinion, Welshpool, Powys, also held the position of parliamentary private secretary to Rishi Sunak during his tenure as prime minister.
He and his 14 co-defendants could face imprisonment for up to two years if convicted of the alleged offenses.
Mr. Williams was initially elected as the MP for Cardiff North, serving from 2015 to 2017, before losing his seat.
Subsequently, he was elected as the MP for Montgomeryshire in the 2019 general election but lost the seat in July of the previous year.
The court was informed that planning activities occurred at Downing Street and Conservative campaign headquarters prior to the announcement of the general election.
It is alleged that the 15 defendants placed bets based on confidential information obtained from these locations or facilitated others in placing bets by relaying said information.
Twelve others, including Russell George, a former Conservative and current independent member of the Welsh Senedd, have indicated their intention to deny the charges.
Due to the extensive number of defendants, the proceedings will be divided into two trials, scheduled to commence on September 6, 2027, and January 3, 2028, respectively.
Mr. Williams is slated to be involved in the 2028 trial.
Audible reactions were noted in the courtroom as prosecutor Sam Stein KC outlined the proposed timetable for the case.
He further stated that even the suggested schedule was considered optimistic.
The court is scheduled to hear an application to dismiss the charges on January 19 of the upcoming year.
The charges stemmed from “Operation Scott,” an investigation launched to examine gambling activities involving politicians and employees of the Conservative Party leading up to the 2024 general election.
Mr. Sunak, who has provided a witness statement in this matter, had previously indicated that elections would occur in the latter half of the year, without specifying a precise date.
Representing the Gambling Commission, Mr. Stein stated during a prior hearing that the operation was initiated to investigate individuals “with the benefit of confidential or insider information” regarding the date of the 2024 general election.
“The prosecution contends that placing bets with inside information constitutes a criminal offense, specifically cheating,” he added.
Individuals found guilty under section 42 of the Gambling Act may face a fine or a prison sentence of up to two years.
The investigation was initiated the previous year following the discovery of bets placed on the timing of the 2024 general election.
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