Archer to appeal against his conviction, seeks cut in jail term

LORD Jeffrey Archer today launches a courtroom bid for freedom a year into his four-year jail sentence for perjury and perverting the course of justice.

The multi-millionaire novelist, who was found guilty at the Old Bailey on July 19 last year of charges relating to his successful 1987 libel case against the Daily Star, is seeking permission to appeal against his conviction on the basis that it was unsafe.

Archer is also urging Lord Justice Rose sitting with Mr Justice Colman and Mr Justice Stanley Burnton to cut his sentence.

The former MP, once a candidate for London mayor and a former Tory Party deputy chairman, won £500,000 at his High Court libel trial over claims he slept with prostitute Monica Coghlan.

At the Old Bailey, Archer had denied using a false diary and concocting a bogus story in his defence of the Daily Star’s claims in the libel action.

Archerwas convicted on two counts of perverting the course of justice and two of perjury.

Trial judge Mr Justice Potts told the peer he would have to serve at least half of his sentence. It is likely Archer will be brought from prison for the hearing, at which his lawyers are expected to argue that lesser sentences have been given in similar cases.