Chris Cairns pleads not guilty of perjury

Chris Cairns

London: Former New Zealand cricket captain Chris Cairns on Friday pleaded not guilty to a charge of perjury and to perverting the course of justice in a match-fixing libel action.


Chris Cairns

Cairns faces the allegations in light of being awarded £90,000 (118,000 euros, $136,000) in damages after he sued Lalit Modi, founder of the Indian Premier League (IPL), over an accusation of match-fixing made on Twitter in January 2010.

The 44-year-old appeared before the Old Bailey in London to enter a not guilty plea to a charge of perjury and to perverting the course of justice by inducing fellow former New Zealand player Lou Vincent to provide a false witness statement during a Skype internet call.

Alongside him in the dock was barrister Andrew Fitch-Holland, who denied one count of perverting the course of justice. The pair stood spoke only to confirm their names and enter not guilty pleas.