Former Conservative MP Katie Wallis has admitted digitally altering the date on an image of her passport to bypass a gambling self-exclusion restriction and access an online betting website. The case was heard at Cardiff Crown Court, where Wallis pleaded guilty to an offence under the Computer Misuse Act.
Wallis represented Bridgend between 2019 and 2024 and was previously known as Jamie Wallis. Two charges relating to possession of a false passport were formally dismissed after she accepted the alternative charge. The court imposed a nine-month conditional discharge, meaning she will face no further punishment if she commits no additional offences during that period.
The incident took place in April 2022. Prosecutor Richard Posner told the court that Wallis had a recognised gambling problem and had previously used GamStop, the UK self-exclusion scheme that allows customers to block themselves from gambling websites licensed in the country.
While experiencing what the prosecution described as acute psychiatric distress, Wallis used her own computer to change the date displayed on an image of her genuine passport. She then used the altered image to get around the restriction and deposit money into a gambling account. The money was lost, and the court heard that no other person suffered financial loss.
The passport itself had not been altered or tampered with, and Wallis had not attempted to use another person’s identity. She has since reapplied for self-exclusion from gambling websites.
The judge described the offence as a single impulsive act committed during a period of psychological distress. The court also accepted personal mitigation presented on Wallis’s behalf. According to the defence, she had experienced serious mental health difficulties following a period of personal turmoil. The prosecution said she had cooperated in bringing the case to a conclusion.
In a written plea, Wallis acknowledged having a gambling problem. The plea stated that the behaviour had not been repeated, had not led to further offending and was no longer a feature of her life. The judge warned that any further offence committed during the nine-month discharge period could lead to the case being reconsidered.
The case comes amid other gambling-related legal proceedings involving people connected to the Conservative Party. Just two weeks earlier, former party campaigning director Anthony Lee, Conservative candidate Laura Lee and former staffer Amy Hind received suspended sentences over offences under Section 42 of the Gambling Act 2005 linked to an election betting scandal.
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