The key facts
- Anthony Lee and his wife Laura pleaded guilty to betting fraud at Southwark Crown Court
- Lee used insider information about the 2024 election date, with potential winnings of more than £23,000
- Lee was sentenced to 10 months and two weeks in prison suspended for 12 months, his wife to 4 months and two weeks suspended for one year
Suspended sentences for betting on election date
Former Conservative Party campaigns director Anthony Lee and his wife Laura have received suspended prison sentences after pleading guilty to fraud over bets — they wagered on the date of the 2024 general election. The guilty pleas were entered at Southwark Crown Court on Thursday, BBC News reports.
Use of insider information
According to the court, Anthony Lee used 'insider information' obtained during a closed meeting convened by then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to place bets on the election date months before it was announced. The court also heard that Lee and his wife could have won more than £23,000 if the fraud had not been uncovered.
Sentences
Anthony Lee was sentenced to 10 months and two weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months. His wife Laura received four months and two weeks in prison, also suspended, with a one-year probation period.
Anthony Lee and his wife Laura pleaded guilty at Southwark Crown Court on Thursday
