Archer loses appeal against conviction

Lord Archer today failed in a bid to challenge his conviction for perjury and perverting the course of justice.

His application for leave to appeal against his conviction came a year into his four-year jail sentence.

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, was not present at the Court of Appeal for the ruling.

Lord Justice Rose, sitting with Mr Justice Colman and Mr Justice Stanley Burnton in London, told Archer’s QC Nicholas Purnell: ‘‘For reasons we will give later in the day we are against you in relation to conviction.’’

The court will go on to hear the peer’s appeal against sentence this afternoon.

As the decision was given, Archer’s sons James and William bowed their heads and William seemed to wipe his eyes.