Former Tory MP appears in court charged with having false passport

A former Conservative MP has appeared in court accused of having a false passport during the time she was sitting in Parliament.

Katie Wallis, 41, of Butetown, Cardiff, the MP for Bridgend in South Wales from 2019 to 2024, became the first openly transgender MP in the House of Commons in 2022.

Wallis, who uses female pronouns and was previously known as Jamie, appeared before Cardiff Crown Court on Monday representing herself.

Charge

The charge was not read out in court, but the defendant previously appeared in Cardiff Magistrates’ Court accused of having a false passport “without reasonable excuse”.

Wallis was alleged to be in possession of the document in April 2022, while she was still serving as a Conservative MP.

Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke, the Recorder of Cardiff, adjourned the hearing for Wallis to either seek legal representation or make an informed decision on representing herself.

Advice

The judge said: “I’m going to adjourn this for a short period of time to enable you to decide whether you want to get at least some initial advice.”

Wallis will next appear on August 15.

Wallis, who appeared in court wearing a pink jacket, was released on bail until the next hearing.