Ex-MP Craig Williams gambling trial date set for 2028
Williams, 40, who was Tory MP for Montgomeryshire until last year, is charged with cheating at gambling and three counts of enabling or assisting others to cheat, in relation to the 2024 General Election.
At Southwark Crown Court on Friday, Williams, from Llanfair Caereinion, appeared wearing a smart black suit and tie.
As in magistrates court last month, he did not indicate a plea.
The court will also hear an application to dismiss the charges on January 19 next year.
Because of the large number of defendants, two trials have been scheduled to take place, with the first fixed for September 6 2027, and the second for January 3 2028.
Williams will be in the 2028 trial.
Other defendants included Montgomeryshire MS Russell George, 50, and Thomas James, 38, the suspended director of the Welsh Conservatives, both of whom have previously indicated not guilty pleas.
The charges come after 'Operation Scott' was launched to investigate gambling by politicians and employees of the Conservative Party in the lead-up to the 2024 general election.
Williams was first the MP for Cardiff North between 2015 and 2017 before he lost his seat to Labour MP Anna McMorrin.
He was then elected MP for Montgomeryshire at the 2019 general election, and lost his seat to Steve Witherden in the newly-reshaped Montgomeryshire and Glyndwr constituency in July last year.
Before the July 4 election was called, planning took place at Downing Street and Conservative campaign headquarters, the court heard.
The 15 defendants are alleged to have placed bets based on confidential information gained from those rooms, or enabled others to place bets by passing that information on.
If convicted they could face up to two years in prison for these offences.
Twelve of the defendants indicated not guilty pleas at a previous hearing. They are:
Simon Chatfield, 51, from Farnham, Surrey;
Russell George, 50;
Amy Hind, 34, of Loughton, Essex;
Anthony Hind, 36, of Loughton, Essex;
Thomas James, 38;
Charlotte Lang, 36;
Anthony Lee, 47;
Laura Saunders, 37;
Iain Makepeace, 47, from Newcastle Upon Tyne;
Nick Mason, 51;
Paul Place, 53, from Hammersmith, west London;
James Ward, 40, of Leeds.
Former MP Williams, with Jacob Willmer, 39, from Richmond, west London, and former police officer Jeremy Hunt, 55, of Horne in Surrey, are yet to indicate a plea.
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