Fitch-Holland 'did not ask Vincent to lie'

Andrew Fitch-Holland, the co-defendant in Chris Cairns' perjury trial, has denied ever asking Lou Vincent to provide a false witness statement and said that the only thing Cairns was guilty of was "not keeping his trousers zipped".

Fitch-Holland, a barrister who previously represented Cairns, is charged with perverting the course of justice over his role in the 2012 libel case against Lalit Modi. The jury at Southwark Crown Court was told last month by former New Zealand international Chris Harris that Fitch-Holland had admitted Cairns was guilty of match-fixing.

Although he could not remember the conversation at an exhibition match due to drinking alcohol, Fitch-Holland said he would have been referring to Cairns' marital situation. Cairns left his wife Carin in 2008 for the woman he is now married to, Mel Cairns.

"I would have said the only thing Chris Cairns is guilty of is not keeping his trousers zipped up," Fitch-Holland told the court.

Vincent, a former team-mate of Cairns in the Indian Cricket League (ICL), has given already evidence about his own involvement in match-fixing. This included a recording of Skype conversation in which Fitch-Holland allegedly accepted Cairns' role, saying: "we all know some of what is being said is clearly true".

However, Fitch-Holland said he have never asked Vincent to lie on Cairns' behalf and that his statement referred to the activities of other players at the ICL.

"At the time of the Skype call, I had no idea that Lou Vincent had ever been involved in match fixing or spot fixing," he said. "I had no reason to believe he was anything other than an honest, decent chap.

"At the time of the Skype call, I had no reason, nor do I now, to believe that Chris Cairns had been involved in match-fixing or spot-fixing."

Fitch-Holland, who was involved with the management of Lashings Cricket Club, met Cairns in 2006 and subsequently advised him on contracts and business deals. He said that Cairns had described rumours that he was involved in fixing during the ICL as "pub talk and bullshit".

He added: "Not a single one of the many cricketers I know has ever suggested to me, by phone or to my face, that Chris Cairns has done anything corrupt."

He also described the moment when Cairns contacted him after Modi, the former IPL chairman, made claims on Twitter about his involvement in corruption.

"My mobile phone rang and it was Chris, freaking out, saying 'You won't believe this, Modi's f***ed me. I'm done, He's tweeted I'm involved in match fixing'," Fitch-Holland said.

Fitch-Holland, who will be cross-examined by the prosecution next week, revealed that he advised Cairns to settle out of court with Modi, to avoid further damage to his reputation. However, the parties had been unable to agree on a sum, with Cairns' mounting legal costs threatening to bankrupt him, Fitch-Holland said.

The trial continues.