Convictions of Pak cricketers being reviewed

The convictions of three Pakistan cricketers jailed for spot-fixing in 2011 are being reviewed by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) following doubts over the credibility of ‘Fake Sheik’ reporter Mazher Mahmood. Salman Butt, Mohammad Aamer and Mohammad Asif were handed five-year bans by the International Cricket Council, on the basis of evidence from a sting operation by Mahmood in the News of the World. This revealed that the trio had agreed to bowl no-balls at certain times during the fourth Test at Lord’s in 2010 in return for financial reward. Butt was jailed for 30 months, Asif for one year and Aamer for six months, after they were found guilty of conspiracy to cheat at gambling and to accept corrupt payments. However, after concerns over Mahmood’s evidence led to the collapse of a recent trial involving former X Factor judge Tulisa Contostavlos, the case is one of 25 being reviewed by the CPS. Mahmood gave lengthy evidence for the prosecution at the trial of Butt and Asif, while Aamer and agent Mazher Majeed pleaded guilty. All conceded their guilt to the ICC, with team captain Butt receiving a further five-year suspended ban.