Archer sentenced to four years in jail

Millionaire novelist Lord Archer was jailed for four years today after being found guilty of perverting the course of justice and perjury at the Old Bailey.

Before sentencing him the judge Mr Justice Potts told Archer: ‘‘These charges represent as serious an offence of perjury as I have had experience of and have been able to find in the books.’’

The jury found him guilty of lying and cheating in his 1987 libel case against the Daily Star.

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

His former friend and co-defendant Ted Francis was cleared of perverting the course of justice by providing Archer with a false alibi.

Archer was cleared of one count of perverting the course of justice.

The jury took 23 hours and 39 minutes to reach its unanimous verdicts on each count.

Archer, 61, used false diaries and concocted a bogus story in his defence of the newspaper’s claims he slept with prostitute Monica Coghlan.

Both men had denied the charges.

The judge in the Jeffrey Archer perjury trial has said Archer would have to serve at least half of the four year sentence and also ordered him to pay £175,000 costs within 12 months.

He told the peer: ‘‘Sentencing you Lord Archer gives me no pleasure at all , I assure you.

‘‘It has been a extremely distasteful case, I can tell you.’’

The judge, who was conducting his last case, said it was the most serious case of perjury he had come across.

He said he had to bear in mind that Archer had resumed his political career and gone from ‘‘strength to strength’’ after committing the crime.

Archer showed no emotion as he was sentenced. He stood with his arms behind his back.

The judge told him: ‘‘Now Lord Archer, would you stand down please.’’

Mary Archer glanced anxiously at her husband but he did not see her. He turned round smartly and marched out of the dock.

But before leaving, he smiled at the dock officer who held the door open for him and mouthed: ‘‘Thank you’’.

Lady Archer, who was wearing a cross on a chain round her neck, had sat with her gaze to the floor during the judge’s sentencing.

Her son William was by her side by her younger son James rushed into court 15 minutes after the verdicts were announced.

As the verdicts had been read out by the jury foreman, Archer stood with his head to one side.

Archer’s solicitor Tony Morton-Hooper said after the hearing: ‘‘Jeffrey Archer and his family are shocked and disappointed by today’s decision.’’

He said: ‘‘I can confirm that we shall be lodging an appeal.

‘‘It would be inappropriate for me to say anything more at this stage and the family will not be answering any questions.’’