The Ingrams and Whittock were arrested and charged with procuring the execution of a valuable security by deception. The trial took place in March and April 2003. Charles Ingram tried to defend himself, as Vulture quotes: "I was not aware of any coughing while sitting in the hot seat from any part of the audience or contestants or otherwise." His wife and Whittock also denied any wrongdoing and insisted their acquaintance was friendly and coincidental, not conspiratorial. The trial took four weeks, during which the BBC reported that prosecutors were also suggesting the Ingrams had tried a different system previously, with the help of her brother, Pollock: putting four numbered pagers on him and pageing the corresponding one for each answer.
All three were convicted, and Vice reported in 2016 that they were all given suspended prison sentences and fines. In August 2003, the British Army ordered Ingram to resign his commission. Ingram continued to appeal the conviction, although it failed, and insisted he was innocent.