Ex-Volkswagen chief faces fraud trial a decade after 'Dieselgate' scandal

The former CEO of Volkswagen has appeared in court facing charges of fraud, market manipulation and perjury, nearly a decade after the car manufacturer was discovered to have rigged emissions tests.

Martin Winterkorn led the German automotive giant in 2015 when the company was engulfed in a scandal when it was revealed that Volkswagen had been intentionally manipulating official emissions tests, designing vehicles that could pass laboratory assessments while emitting unlawful levels of pollutants during normal driving conditions.

Last year Rupert Stadler, a VW Group board member and boss of Audi at the time, received a suspended prison sentence and a huge personal fine for his part in the scandal.