Chris Cairns found innocent in the court-case related to match fixing allegations

Cairns outside the court this morning

Chris Cairns has been found ‘not guilty’ of falsifying the court of law and has been freed from all the match-fixing charges that were imposed on him, ESPN Cricinfo reports.

Cairns was charged with the crime of lying in court under the Perjury Act, and could have been sentenced to a maximum of 7 years in prison if the allegations against him were proved true. Andrew Fitch-Holland, who appeared as a witness for Cairns in his case against Modi, was also blamed of misleading the court, but now both have been found innocent in the case.

Modi had tweeted in 2010 about Cairns’ supposed involvement in match-fixing. Cairns, subsequently, took Modi to court, accusing the latter of defaming him.

The ex-New Zealand all-rounder said outside the court: "My thanks and family's thanks go to the jury for reaching the verdict they did. My legal team have been superb, I can't thank them enough.

"It's been hell for the last five or so years and in particular the last couple of years and now having won the legal case in the Royal Courts and now here … I've been through the mill and come out the other side. Just a very happy man.

"Reputationally I'm completely scorched … burnt, completely. But it hasn't stopped me and it won't stop me. For my dad, back in New Zealand, he's a cricket man through and through - I don't know what cricket holds for me, I'm just happy for my father and my mother that they can hold their heads high in New Zealand."

A number of cricketers including Brendon McCullum, Ricky Ponting, and Daniel Vettori gave their inputs to the court, and the jury gave their verdict today morning.

"I think it would be a pretty hard environment to go back into, there's been a lot of damage done and that's unfortunate and sad," he said when quizzed if he will make a return to the cricketing world.

Andrew Holland, who was blamed for asking tainted New Zealand batsman Lou Vincent to provide a false witness statement in support of Cairns was also found innocent. 

"I am enormously pleased that the personal and professional nightmare that began with a dawn raid on my home some 18 months ago has finally ended. I said when this matter was first charged that I had complete faith in the justice system of which I have always been product and which I continue to be proud to be a part of," he said after the verdict.