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Perjury probe over Sheridan trial Perjury probe over Sheridan trial
(30 minutes later)
Prosecutors have ordered police to carry out a criminal investigation into allegations of perjury during Tommy Sheridan's defamation case.Prosecutors have ordered police to carry out a criminal investigation into allegations of perjury during Tommy Sheridan's defamation case.
The Procurator Fiscal at Edinburgh has instructed Lothian and Borders Police to begin criminal investigations.The Procurator Fiscal at Edinburgh has instructed Lothian and Borders Police to begin criminal investigations.
A Crown Office spokesman said it was not possible to speculate on the timescale for the investigation.A Crown Office spokesman said it was not possible to speculate on the timescale for the investigation.
Glasgow MSP Mr Sheridan won a £200,000 defamation action against the News of the World at the Court of Session. Glasgow MSP Sheridan won a defamation action against the News of the World, which had printed sex claims about him.
A spokesperson for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service said: "On the basis of information presently available to her, the Procurator Fiscal at Edinburgh has instructed Lothian and Borders police to begin a criminal investigation into allegations of perjury arising from the civil trial between Tommy Sheridan and the News of the World. Public acrimony
"It is not possible to speculate as to any possible lines of inquiry, or on the possible timescale for the investigation. The former Scottish Socialist Party leader won his case against the newspaper in August after a four-week hearing at the Court of Session in Edinburgh.
"As in any ongoing criminal investigation, the Crown will not be discussing the available evidence through the media. Lothian and Borders Police will submit a report to the Procurator Fiscal at Edinburgh in due course." The News of the World described the jury's decision as "perverse".
The newspaper had accused him of cheating on his wife and taking part inorgies.
Eleven fellow members of the SSP told the trial that MrSheridan had admitted at a party meeting in 2004 that he had visited a swingers club in Manchester.
Four of Mr Sheridan's party colleagues backed his account of thatdiscussion, insisting he had made no such admission.
It is not possible to speculate as to any possible lines of inquiry Crown Office spokesman The trial and its outcome led to public acrimony within the SSP whichculminated with Mr Sheridan and another MSP, Rosemary Byrne, leaving to set up a breakaway left-wing party, Solidarity. On 22 August, the Crown Office said it had instructed the Edinburgh procurator fiscal to examine all of the evidence given in the defamation case to see if there were grounds for instructing a criminal investigation.
On Monday, a spokesman for the Crown Office said: "On the basis of information presently available to her the procurator fiscal at Edinburgh has instructed police to begin a criminal investigation into allegations of perjury.
"It is not possible to speculate as to any possible lines of inquiry.
"Lothian and Borders Police will submit a report to the procurator fiscal at Edinburgh in due course."