The former New Zealand cricketer Chris Cairns has been acquitted of perjury and perverting the course of justice after a jury at Southwark crown court returned a verdict of not guilty yesterday.
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The defendants, Cairns and Andrew Fitch-Holland, whose charge of perverting the course can only be considered once the principal perjury charge has been resolved, were called back into the dock at 11.44am, but only so that the jury could request that the original requirement of a unanimous verdict be reassessed.
During a libel case three-years-ago, Cairns had successfully sued Indian Premier League chairman Lalit Modi for accusing him on Twitter of match-fixing.
Black Caps captain Brendon McCullum, former captain Daniel Vettori, Mr Vincent, Mr Cairns and former Australia cricket captain Ricky Ponting all gave evidence.
He told the court he discussed the topic of “spot-fixing” with Mr McCullum in April 2008 in Calcutta and explained spread-betting to him because match-fixing was “topical” in India at the time.
Cairns, who played 62 Tests and 215 One-Day Internationals between 1989 and 2006 for New Zealand, has been cleared of all charges.
However in emotional scenes outside court Cairns said that, despite the jury’s verdict, he would not return to cricket due to the damage his name had suffered.
“I think with Brendon, he said – didn’t he – in the trial that he delayed his report on the basis that he was reluctant to incriminate a friend”.
Heal said McCullum should not be criticised for delaying the reporting of his conversation with Cairns – it took place in 2008 but McCullum first reported it to the ACU in 2011.
Speaking after the verdict, Mr Cairns, from Auckland, said: “It’s not a victory as such because in a case like this, I really don’t think there are any winners”. “I don’t know what cricket holds for me, I’m just happy for my father and my mother that they can hold their heads high in New Zealand”.
The jury was also asked by Mr Justice Sweeney, the judge, to treat Vincent’s evidence with caution given his involvement with corruption. Only when he saw Fitch-Holland break into a smile did he respond.
He said: “There’ll be some players sitting back there thinking ‘well why would I do that?”
Now they will hope for a retrial based on new evidence (McCullum and Vincent) in a civil court where the burden of proof will be lower than the perjury trial#The ICC will now be anxious McCullum’s experience will deter other players from coming forward in future fearing they may end up in court accused of lying.
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The ICC also said that it would not make any further comment on this matter.
