Montgomeryshire MS Russell George appeared in Westminster Magistrates Court today 13 June charged with betting offences over the timing of the 2024 General Election.

Former Montgomeryshire MP Craig Williams also attended charged with similar offences, marking the first court appearance of the trial involving 15 defendants.

Craig Williams, 39, gave no indication of plea, whilst MS George, 51, pleaded not guilty.

Last summer the betting scandal overtook General Election headlines over allegations that Conservative staff had placed bets on the election date before then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called an early election for July.

Williams was charged with cheating at gambling and three counts of enabling or assisting others to cheat - having worked as former Prime Minister Sunak’s parliamentery private secretary at the time of the betting.

MS George was suspended by the Conservative party in April following the charges and has since withdrawn his candidacy for the 2026 Senedd elections.

Suspended Welsh Conservative director Thomas James was charged, along with Conservative Party chief data officer Nick Mason and Conservative chief marketing officer Simon Chatfield.

The Tory candidate for Bristol North West Laura Saunders and husband Tony Lee, the party’s campaign chief, were also charged.

Twelve defendants pleaded not guilty, whilst Williams, former police officer Jeremy Hunt, 55 from Horne in Surrey, and Jacob Willmer, 39, from Richmond gave no indication of pleas.

Prosecuting on behalf of the Gambling Commission, Sam Stein KC said: “Operation Scott was launched into politicians and employees of the Conservative Party, and a former police officer… who had placed bets on the date of the 2024 general election with the benefit of confidential or insider information as to when that date might be.

“The prosecution says that placing bets with inside information is a criminal offence, namely cheating.”

The defendants will next appear at Southwark Crown Court on 11 July.