Harpreet Seehra
Elite
All three Pakistan players found guilty of spot-fixing and awaiting sentence appeared in the dock together for the first time on Wednesday morning at a special hearing at Southwark Crown Court, where there was more media and public interest than at any part of the trial.
Former captain Salman Butt and fast bowler Mohammad Asif, who were found guilty of conspiring to cheat and conspiring to accept corrupt payments by a jury on Tuesday, were joined by their former team-mate and co-conspirator Mohammad Amir on the 21st day of the trial, while almost 60 people were stuffed into Court No.4. Special room was made for excess media in a space next to the jury seats.
Amir, who had pleaded guilty at a pre-trial to bowling two pre-determined no-balls at the Lord's Test last year, wore a grey suit and black shirt with his hair still at shoulder length. He had a dock security officer to his left and a female Urdu interpreter to his right. Next to her was Asif, and then Butt to his right.
The format of the next two days was not immediately known but it is expected that evidence from Amir or his barrister Henry Blaxland QC will be heard by the judge, before all three players hear their fate from Justice Cooke. The jury was officially released from the case on Tuesday but were given permission to attend the conclusion of the trial by Justice Cooke. Four female jurors attended.
Amir is being supported by the renowned human rights lawyer Gareth Peirce, who sat on the back bench in the middle of the courtroom just in front of the Perspex screen that separated her from her client Amir.
Former captain Salman Butt and fast bowler Mohammad Asif, who were found guilty of conspiring to cheat and conspiring to accept corrupt payments by a jury on Tuesday, were joined by their former team-mate and co-conspirator Mohammad Amir on the 21st day of the trial, while almost 60 people were stuffed into Court No.4. Special room was made for excess media in a space next to the jury seats.
Amir, who had pleaded guilty at a pre-trial to bowling two pre-determined no-balls at the Lord's Test last year, wore a grey suit and black shirt with his hair still at shoulder length. He had a dock security officer to his left and a female Urdu interpreter to his right. Next to her was Asif, and then Butt to his right.
The format of the next two days was not immediately known but it is expected that evidence from Amir or his barrister Henry Blaxland QC will be heard by the judge, before all three players hear their fate from Justice Cooke. The jury was officially released from the case on Tuesday but were given permission to attend the conclusion of the trial by Justice Cooke. Four female jurors attended.
Amir is being supported by the renowned human rights lawyer Gareth Peirce, who sat on the back bench in the middle of the courtroom just in front of the Perspex screen that separated her from her client Amir.
