The targeting of Aamer and his family by underworld figures involved in illegal gambling in the subcontinent played a large part in dissuading Aamer from giving evidence as a witness in the trial of Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif, and in his own mitigation hearing following his guilty plea.
Trial judge Mr Justice Cooke revealed the existence of “credible” threats as he sentenced Aamer to six months’ detention for his part in conspiring to fix elements of the Oval and Lord’s Tests, reported Britain’s Daily Telegraph.
As well as claims provided by the player and his family, Cooke cited supporting evidence from the ICC’s Anti-Corruption and Security Unit.
Aamer’s family claimed to have revealed death threats after his involvement in the fix was revealed by the News of the World, and earlier this year wicketkeeper Zulqainan Haider fled from the Pakistan squad claiming he had been threatened.
Aamer pleaded guilty to bowling two no-balls in the Lord’s Test but denied any involvement in wider corruption, something the judge did not accept.
“You have referred, in material presented to the court, to threats to yourself and your family, saying that there are significant limits to what you can say in public,” Mr Justice Cooke said.
“The reality of those threats and the strength of the underworld influences who control unlawful betting abroad is shown by the supporting evidence in the bundle of documents, including materials from the Anti Corruption and Security Unit of the ICC.”
In his guilty plea Aamer admitted only to fixing in relation to the Lord’s Test and claimed that he had come “under pressure” to take part in the conspiracy, and that failure to do so would have consequences for his career.
The judge rejected the plea because he had heard evidence of Aamer’s involvement in the wider conspiracy including the Oval, and of contact with an apparent fixer from Dubai. He did give him credit for pleading guilty, saying it had required “courage”.
