New Zealand cricket great Chris Cairns appeared in a London court on Thursday to face a charge of perjury relating to a libel action he brought in England in 2012. Cairns won £90,000 ($146,000) after he sued former Indian Premier League chairman Lalit Modi over a 2010 tweet accusing the all-rounder of match-fixing during his time in the now defunct Indian Cricket League.
However, Cairns was charged with perjury last month and appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court in central London on Thursday. Cairns, who lives in Auckland, appeared alongside lawyer Andrew Fitch-Holland, who faces one count of perverting the course of justice. Fitch-Holland, 49, was lead adviser to Cairns in the action against Modi. The pair spoke only to give their names, dates of birth and addresses before the case was sent to London's Southwark Crown Court, with the next hearing on October 16. They were given unconditional bail. Lawyers for the pair indicated they would contest the charges. Both Cairns and Fitch-Holland left the court without commenting.