Editing Jeffrey Archer (section)

==Perjury trial and imprisonment==

===Trial===
On 26 September 2000, Archer was charged with perjury and [[perverting the course of justice]] during the 1987 libel trial.<ref name=Perjury>{{cite news|title=Archer charged with perjury|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/archer-charged-with-perjury-699019.html|access-date=22 December 2015|work=The Independent|date=25 September 2000|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151223090957/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/archer-charged-with-perjury-699019.html|archive-date=23 December 2015}}</ref> Ted Francis was charged with perverting the course of justice.<ref name="Timeline: Stranger than fiction"/> Simultaneously, Archer starred in a production of his own courtroom play ''The Accused'', staged at London's [[Theatre Royal Haymarket]]. The play concerned the court trial of an alleged murderer and assigned the role of jury to the audience, which would vote on the guilt of Archer's character at the end of each performance.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.curtainup.com/accused.html|title=Review&nbsp;— The Accused|date=8 October 2002|publisher=Curtain Up|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051203134041/http://www.curtainup.com/accused.html|archive-date=3 December 2005}}</ref>

The perjury trial began on 30 May 2001, a month after [[Monica Coghlan]]'s death in a road traffic collision.<ref name=Stokes>{{cite news|last1=Stokes|first1=Paul|title=Monica Coghlan killed by robbery car|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1317481/Monica-Coghlan-killed-by-robbery-car.html|access-date=22 December 2015|work=The Telegraph|date=28 April 2001|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151224135309/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1317481/Monica-Coghlan-killed-by-robbery-car.html|archive-date=24 December 2015}}</ref> Ted Francis claimed that Archer had asked him to provide a false alibi for the night Archer was alleged to have been with Monica Coghlan.<ref name=Perjury/> Angela Peppiatt, Archer's former personal assistant, also claimed Archer had fabricated an alibi in the 1987 trial. Peppiatt had kept a diary of Archer's movements, which contradicted evidence given during the 1987 trial.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/1420933.stm|title=Ted Francis: Archer whistleblower|date=19 July 2001|publisher=BBC|location=London, UK|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100324075852/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/1420933.stm|archive-date=24 March 2010}}</ref> Andrina Colquhoun, Archer's former mistress, confirmed that they had been having an affair in the 1980s, thus contradicting the claim that he and Mary Archer had been "happily married" at the time of the trial.<ref name=Clough>{{cite news|last1=Clough|first1=Sue|title=My love affair with Archer cooled when he tidied up his private life|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1309221/My-love-affair-with-Archer-cooled-when-he-tidied-up-his-private-life.html|access-date=22 December 2015|work=The Telegraph|date=20 June 2001|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151224135249/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1309221/My-love-affair-with-Archer-cooled-when-he-tidied-up-his-private-life.html|archive-date=24 December 2015}}</ref>

Archer never spoke during the trial, though his wife Mary again gave evidence as she had done during the 1987 trial.<ref name="Stanford">{{cite news|last1=Stanford|first1=Peter|title=Mary Archer: 'Jeffrey asked from jail if I wanted a divorce, but I'm not a quitter'|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/books/authors/mary-archer-jeffrey-asked-from-jail-if-i-wanted-a-divorce-but-im/|access-date=26 February 2016|work=The Telegraph|date=19 February 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160225214252/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/books/authors/mary-archer-jeffrey-asked-from-jail-if-i-wanted-a-divorce-but-im/|archive-date=25 February 2016}}</ref> On 19 July 2001, Archer was found guilty of perjury and perverting the course of justice at the 1987 trial. He was sentenced to four years' imprisonment by [[Humphrey Potts|Mr Justice Potts]].<ref name=Clough2>{{cite news|last1=Clough|first1=Sue|title=The end: Archer goes to jail|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1334653/The-end-Archer-goes-to-jail.html|access-date=22 December 2015|work=The Telegraph|date=20 July 2001|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151211082943/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1334653/The-end-Archer-goes-to-jail.html|archive-date=11 December 2015}}</ref> Francis was found not guilty. Prominent journalists admitted to having accepted Archer's hospitality after he was convicted.<ref name=Rawnsley2>{{cite news|last1=Rawnsley|first1=Andrew|title=Shepherd's pie and shampagne, anyone?|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2001/jul/22/archer.conservatives|access-date=23 December 2015|work=The Observer|date=22 July 2001|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151223150559/http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2001/jul/22/archer.conservatives|archive-date=23 December 2015}}</ref><ref name=Hoggart>{{cite news|last1=Hoggart|first1=Simon|title=Drink the Krug (but avoid the shepherd's pie)|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2001/jul/28/houseofcommons.archer|access-date=23 December 2015|work=The Guardian|date=28 July 2001|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151223190048/http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2001/jul/28/houseofcommons.archer|archive-date=23 December 2015}}</ref> Archer's mother had died shortly before he was sentenced and he was released for the day to attend her funeral.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/1424501.stm|title=Archer jailed for perjury|date=19 July 2001|publisher=BBC|location=London|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090522043651/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/1424501.stm|archive-date=22 May 2009}}</ref><ref name=McVeigh>{{cite news|last1=McVeigh|first1=Tracy|title=Disgraced Archer back in charge for a few sad hours of freedom|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2001/jul/22/conservatives.archer|access-date=23 December 2015|work=The Observer|date=22 July 2001|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151223235414/http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2001/jul/22/conservatives.archer|archive-date=23 December 2015}}</ref>

===Prison===
Archer was initially sent to [[HM Prison Belmarsh]], a [[Prison security categories in the United Kingdom|Category "A"]] prison, but was moved to [[HM Prison Wayland]], a Category "C" prison in [[Norfolk]], on 9 August 2001. Despite automatically qualifying as a category "D" prisoner, given it was a first conviction and he did not pose a serious risk of harm to the public, his status as such was suspended pending a police investigation into [[#Kurdish aid controversy|allegations about his Kurdish charity]]. He was then transferred to [[HM Prison North Sea Camp]], an [[open prison]], in October 2001.  From there he was let out to work, briefly, at the [[New Theatre Royal Lincoln|Theatre Royal]] in [[Lincoln, England|Lincoln]], and allowed occasional home visits.<ref name=Peachey>{{cite news|last1=Peachey|first1=Paul|title=Dramatic entrance as Archer takes theatre's supporting role|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/dramatic-entrance-as-archer-takes-theatres-supporting-role-174020.ht|access-date=23 December 2015|work=The Independent|date=19 August 2002}}{{dead link|date=August 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

Media reports claimed he had abused this privilege by attending a lunch with a friend, Education Secretary [[Gillian Shephard]].<ref name=Goodchild>{{cite news|last1=Goodchild|first1=Sophie|title=So that's what he was up to when he wasn't out for lunch|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/so-thats-what-he-was-up-to-when-he-wasnt-out-for-lunch-132178.html|access-date=23 December 2015|work=The Independent|date=5 October 2002|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151223235509/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/so-thats-what-he-was-up-to-when-he-wasnt-out-for-lunch-132178.html|archive-date=23 December 2015}}</ref> In September 2002 he was transferred to a Category "B" prison, [[Lincoln (HM Prison)|Lincoln]].<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/2283443.stm "Archer moved from open prison"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040704174717/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/2283443.stm |date=4 July 2004 }}, BBC News, 26 September 2002</ref> After three weeks, he was moved to the Category "D" [[HM Prison Hollesley Bay]] in Suffolk.<ref>[http://news.sky.com/story/130743/archers-holiday-bay-prison-move "Archer's 'Holiday Bay' Prison Move"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140427204859/http://news.sky.com/story/130743/archers-holiday-bay-prison-move |date=27 April 2014 }}, Sky.com, 17 October 2002.</ref>

During his imprisonment, Archer was visited by a number of high-profile friends, including actor [[Donald Sinden]]<ref>{{cite news|last1=Donald|first1=Gideon|title=The Nudgeocon|url=http://www.newstatesman.com/uk-politics/2009/03/campbell-spiked-britain-archer|access-date=26 April 2017|work=New Statesman|date=26 March 2009|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170427101830/http://www.newstatesman.com/uk-politics/2009/03/campbell-spiked-britain-archer|archive-date=27 April 2017}}</ref> and entertainer [[Barry Humphries]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/extras/sunday-review/regulars/how-we-met-barry-humprhies--jeffrey-archer-804282.html|last=Eyre| first=Hermione|title=How We Met: Barry Humphries & Jeffrey Archer|date=6 April 2008|work=[[The Independent]]|location=London|access-date=6 May 2010}}{{dead link|date=August 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

In October 2002, Archer repaid the ''Daily Star'' the £500,000 damages he had received in 1987, as well as legal costs and interest of £1.3 million.<ref name=Leonard>{{cite news|last1=Leonard|first1=Tom|title=Archer settles £1.8m libel debt with newspaper|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1408852/Archer-settles-1.8m-libel-debt-with-newspaper.html|access-date=23 December 2015|work=The Telegraph|date=2 October 2002|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151224154048/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1408852/Archer-settles-1.8m-libel-debt-with-newspaper.html|archive-date=24 December 2015}}</ref> That month, he was suspended from [[Marylebone Cricket Club]] for seven years.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2002/oct/28/cricket.archer|title=MCC gives Archer out&nbsp;— for seven years|date=28 October 2002|newspaper=The Guardian|location=London, UK|first=Jamie|last=Wilson|access-date=6 May 2010|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131002172815/http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2002/oct/28/cricket.archer|archive-date=2 October 2013}}</ref>

On 21 July 2003, Archer was released on licence from Hollesley Bay after serving half of his [[sentence (law)|sentence]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Lord Archer freed from prison|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/3082627.stm|access-date=23 December 2015|work=BBC News|date=22 September 2003|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151223114010/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/3082627.stm|archive-date=23 December 2015}}</ref>
He remained a peer, there being no legal provision through which his peerage could be removed at the time other than passing a new Act of Parliament.<ref>{{cite news|title=Disgraced Archer may lose peerage|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2001/jul/20/archer.politics2|access-date=23 December 2015|work=The Guardian|date=20 July 2001|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151223151943/http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2001/jul/20/archer.politics2|archive-date=23 December 2015}}</ref> He also retained membership of the House of Lords, which did not then have the power to expel members; however, Archer did not take an active part in parliamentary proceedings until his retirement from the Lords on 4 July 2024. Politically, he was a [[non-affiliated member of the House of Lords]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Cameron snubs Archer's Lords bid|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4472638.stm|access-date=23 December 2015|work=BBC News|date=27 November 2005|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060203153757/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4472638.stm|archive-date=3 February 2006}}</ref>

===Prison diaries===
While in prison, Archer wrote the three-volume memoir ''[[A Prison Diary]]'', with volumes fashioned after [[Divine Comedy|Dante's ''Divine Comedy'']], and named after the first three prisons in which he was kept.<ref name=Howse>{{cite news|last1=Howse|first1=Christopher|title=Cup-a-Soup for the soul|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/4729015/Cup-a-Soup-for-the-soul.html|access-date=23 December 2015|work=The Telegraph|date=19 October 2002|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151224135242/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/4729015/Cup-a-Soup-for-the-soul.html|archive-date=24 December 2015}}</ref> His prison term also served as inspiration for nine of the 12 short stories in the collection ''Cat O' Nine Tales''.<ref>[http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-312-36264-5 "Cat O' Nine Tales and Other Stories"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131110045906/http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-312-36264-5 |date=10 November 2013 }}, ''Publishers Weekly'', 16 April 2007</ref>

===Kurdish aid controversy===
In July 2001, shortly after Archer was jailed for perjury, [[Scotland Yard]] began investigating allegations that millions of pounds had disappeared from his Kurdish charity.<ref name="ST"/><ref name="bbc">{{Cite news|title=Archer faces 'missing aid' probe|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/1451998.stm|work=[[BBC]]|access-date=18 December 2007|date=23 July 2001|location=London|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040626204601/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/1451998.stm|archive-date=26 June 2004}}</ref> In 1991, Archer had claimed to have raised £57,042,000.<ref name="ST"/> In 1992, the Kurdish Disaster Fund wrote to Archer, complaining: "You must be concerned that the Kurdish refugees have seen hardly any of the huge sums raised in the west in their name." Kurdish groups claimed that little more than £250,000 had been received by groups in Iraq.<ref name="ST"/>

A [[British Red Cross]]-commissioned [[KPMG]] audit of the cash showed no donations were handled by Archer and any misappropriation was "unlikely"; however, KPMG also could find no evidence to support Archer's claims to have raised £31.5 million from overseas governments. The police said they would launch a "preliminary assessment of the facts" from the audit but were not investigating the Simple Truth fund.<ref name="Ind">{{Cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/audit-concludes-archer-made-up-charity-total-9276513.html|last=Boggan|first=Steve|title=Audit concludes Archer made up charity total|date=24 April 2014|work=[[The Independent]]|access-date=3 November 2015|location=London|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305025608/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/audit-concludes-archer-made-up-charity-total-9276513.html|archive-date=5 March 2016}}</ref>