The Conservative Party’s former director of campaigning has been spared jail despite admitting he cheated at gambling on the date of the 2024 general election.
Last month, Anthony Lee, 49, pleaded guilty to two offences relating to placing bets on the date of the 2024 general election, with his wife Laura Lee, who was a parliamentary candidate at the time, admitting one charge.
At Southwark Crown Court on Friday, jurors were told how the ex-senior Tory figure used “inside information” from a private meeting called by then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to bet on the general election date months before it took place.
The court heard the Lees placed more than £2,000 worth of bets from March 10 and May 21, 2024, and stood to win over £23,000 had their actions not been uncovered.
Zoe Johnson KC, prosecuting, said the former Tory director of campaigning “abused” inside information he had that July 4 was the working election date and had passed it onto his wife to make a profit.
Lee was sentenced to 10 months and two weeks’ imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, while his wife was sentenced to four months and two weeks’ imprisonment, suspended for a year.
Sentencing the pair, Judge Tony Baumgartner warned their cheating “risked undermining” public confidence in the Conservative Party “as an institution”.
Jurors were told how Mr Sunak held a private Downing Street meeting on March 10 of that year to discuss possible dates, with a small group, including his then-Parliamentary Private Pecretary Craig Williams and elections expert Isaac Levido, in attendance.
Southwark Crown Court was told in the days leading up to that meeting, Mr Lee was aware of meeting with key Tory figures, including email correspondence entitled “Crazy idea: Campaign discussion”.
Ms Johnson said the Prime Minister had shared a document prior to the meeting which laid out three options up for discussion, including possible election dates from May 2 to July 4.
Neither Lee nor his wife attended the meeting, but the couple began betting online on the election being held in July or between July and September, the court heard.
The prosecutor said: “Although not at No10, the overwhelming inference is that Anthony Lee was receiving inside information as the meeting went on and was acting upon it.
“Together they were using it to make a profit for themselves.”
Lee placed or attempted to place 71 bets during this time, while his parliamentary candidate wife placed eight and attempted another, the court was told.
Jurors heard that all of the bets – apart from £55 worth – was put on on “July” or the bracket “July-September”.
More to follow…