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Britain’s first trans MP admits doctoring her own passport to access gambling site
Former MP Katie Wallis admitted digitally altering an image of her passport to bypass her own gambling self-exclusion and access an online betting platform. The case matters because she had faced charges relating to a false passport, but was instead convicted of a single offence under the Computer Misuse Act.
Cardiff Crown Court heard that Wallis, who represented Bridgend from 2019 to 2024, acted impulsively in April 2022 while experiencing acute psychological distress. She used the account to gamble and lost the money herself; the court was told she did not alter her physical passport, access anyone else’s data or repeat the conduct. She received a nine-month conditional discharge and must pay a £26 surcharge.
In short
- Katie Wallis admitted altering a passport image to access a gambling site.
- She acted while experiencing acute psychological distress.
- The court imposed a nine-month conditional discharge.
Explained simply
Katie Wallis was the MP for Bridgend from 2019 to 2024 and was the first openly transgender person elected to the UK Parliament. MPs represent local constituencies in the House of Commons, where they debate and vote on laws.
Online gambling sites may let people exclude themselves from using their services, often to help manage their gambling. Accessing an account after self-exclusion can involve checks of identity documents, such as a passport. In this case, the distinction between changing a digital image and altering a physical passport was relevant to the offence considered by the court.