Senior Conservatives including a former MP who was an aide of Rishi Sunak have appeared in court accused of cheating by gambling on the date of the 2024 general election.

Craig Williams, 39, who served as the Tory MP for Montgomeryshire and Cardiff North, has been charged with cheating at gambling and three counts of enabling or assisting others to cheat.

Mr Williams, of Llanfair Caereinion, served as parliamentary private secretary to Rishi Sunak during his time as prime minister.

Also among the 15 people charged are Mr Williams’ fellow Montgomeryshire politician, Russell George, who is the Welsh Parliament member for Montgomeryshire.

Mr George was elected as a Conservative member but has been suspended from the party while the courts process takes place.

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.

Former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who has provided a witness statement in this case, had noted that elections would take place in the second half of the year but had not given a date.

Prosecuting on behalf of the Gambling Commission, Sam Stein KC said: “Operation Scott was an investigation launched by the gambling commission 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.”

Twelve of the defendants indicated not guilty pleas on Friday.

On Friday, 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; and James Ward, 40, of Leeds, all indicated they would deny the charges.