Tuffey to face no charges

Daryl Tuffey and Mel Cairns will not face charges after being questioned in relation to the impending Chris Cairns perjury trial.

The former Black Caps allrounder was yesterday formally charged in London with perjury, relating to a libel trial he won against Dr Lalit Modi in 2012.

A statement from the Metropolitan Police mentioned no further action would be taken against "a 33-year-old woman and 36-year-old man" who had been interviewed as part of the investigation.

The Herald has been told the people in question were Cairns' wife, Mel, and Tuffey. Both gave evidence to the High Court during Cairns' successful libel trial.

Former New Zealand fast bowler Tuffey, along with Cairns and Lou Vincent, is being investigated by the International Cricket Council's anti-corruption unit, though that investigation has been put on ice while Met Police conduct their perjury investigation. Vincent has subsequently received multiple life bans by the England and Wales Cricket Board.

Tuffey lives in Sydney where he works for Moa Beer. Last night in a statement Tuffey said he had at all times co-operated with the Met, and denied unequivocally allegations of match-fixing.

He said he had been thanked by the Met for his co-operation.

Cairns won damages of $174,000 and costs of $775,000 against former Indian Premier League boss Modi. Arguably the most powerful man in world cricket at the time, Modi had claimed Cairns' expulsion from the now-defunct Indian Cricket League was because of match-fixing, not an undisclosed injury as stated by tournament organisers.

Cairns faces up to seven years' jail if he is convicted of perjury, which he denies. On Thursday, Cairns appeared at a London police station to be formally charged. He was bailed to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on October 2, where he will enter a plea.

Modi's lawyers say civil proceedings will be launched against Cairns.