Cairns to face perjury charge

Former New Zealand allrounder Chris Cairns will face a charge of perjury in the UK. The Crown Prosecution Service has confirmed that Cairns will face one count of perjury related to a libel action trial from two years ago.

A spokeswoman for the Crown Prosecution Service said: "We can confirm that we have authorised police to charge Chris Cairns with one count of perjury, which arises from a libel trial held in the UK in March 2012."

In a statement, Cairns said he was "extremely disappointed" by the charge but would extend full cooperation to the authorities.

"I can confirm that I have now been notified by the Crown Prosecution Service in the UK that it is their intention to lay charges against me on 25 September for perjury," Cairns said in a statement.

"I'm obviously extremely disappointed, however, at least there will now be an opportunity to face my accusers in an open forum, with some rigour and proper process around that, so that I can clear my name once and for all.

"I hope that, through this forum, significant additional information will be flushed out that will help people to better assess the situation, as well as the character and motives of the parties involved.

"I wish this wasn't the situation - having been to Court before, I know what lies ahead and how gruelling it will be and how tough it is on my family - but I have nothing to hide and I will do whatever it takes to once again prove my innocence.

"I will continue to co-operate fully with the authorities, including voluntarily travelling to the UK to face these changes."

New Zealand Cricket also released a statement acknowledging the likely charges.

"New Zealand Cricket acknowledges the decision from British police to lay perjury charges against former New Zealand cricketer, Chris Cairns," the NZC statement said. "These charges, quite different from proceedings conducted by cricket authorities into match-fixing and corruption, will now be tested in a British court of law and be subject to the normal processes of a criminal trial. Accordingly, NZC will not make any comment on the matter until such time all proceedings have been concluded."

The Crown Prosecution Service also charged London-based lawyer Andrew Fitch-Holland with one count of perverting the course of justice. Fitch-Holland had served as Cairns' lawyer during the libel action against former IPL commissioner Lalit Modi in 2012.

In May, Cairns had been interviewed by the Metropolitan Police, the ECB and the ICC's Anti-Corruption Unit in London. He claimed the interviews in London had been conducted at his own request and dealt with allegations he had perjured himself during the Cairns v Modi trial in 2012, and separate allegations of match-fixing.