London - Former Conservative cabinet minister Mr Jonathan Aitken was yesterday committed to stand trial at the Old Bailey on charges of perjury, conspiring to pervert the course of justice and perverting the course of justice.
His former business associate, Mr Said Mohammed Ayas (56) was also committed to stand trial on the conspiracy charge - a joint charge with Mr Aitken - and a separate charge of perverting the course of justice.
The charges against Mr Aitken (56), who was chief secretary to the treasury in 1994-95, and Mr Ayas, relate to the collapse in June last year of Mr Aitken's High Court libel action against the Guardian newspaper and Granada television's World In Action programme.