News 6th Aug 2015

Orlando Pownall QC Represents Former Cricket Captain Accused of Perjury & Perverting the Course of Justice

Orlando Pownall QC is set to represent Chris Cairns, former New Zealand Cricket captain this coming October.

Cairns is alleged to have lied in libel proceedings in the High Court when he claimed that he had never been involved in fixing cricket matches. The Crown’s case is that he was involved in match fixing in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Chris Cairns is being prosecuted for perjury after declaring under oath that he had never cheated at cricket during a libel case in 2012. He successfully sued Indian Premier League chairman Lalit Modi over a tweet accusing him of match-fixing. Mr Modi accused him on Twitter in January 2010 of match-fixing while playing for the Chandigarh Lions in the Indian Cricket League in 2008.

During England’s first Twitter libel trial, Mr Cairns said under oath that he had never ever cheated at cricket, which the prosecution claims is untrue. Mr Cairns won damages of $130,000 (£90,000). Mr Cairns is also charged with perverting the court of justice. It is alleged that he and co-defendant Andrew Fitch Holland, a barristerfriend who had given him legal advice, asked a witness to give false evidence.

Mr Cairns,  denies these allegations and a four-week trial is fixed to take place at Southwark Crown Court on October 5.

Orlando Pownall QC is instructed by Colin Nott of Hallinan Blackburn Gittings & Nott Solicitors.


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