The jury trial commenced in November 1999. Hamilton and his wife were cross-examined by George Carman QC. Carman put to Hamilton that he had acted corruptly to demand and then take £10,000 from Mobil Oil in 1989 for the tabling of an amendment to a finance bill. At the time, Hamilton was a member of a Commons select committee on finance. Al-Fayed said Hamilton had taken the money either in brown envelope cash payments or through Ian Greer. Hamilton said in his own evidence, "I have never received a penny from Mr Fayed; I have never asked." His counsel, in the closing comments, argued that Al-Fayed's assertions had destroyed his client's reputation. On 21 December 1999, the jury unanimously decided in favour of the defence.