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| Version 6 | Version 7 |
|---|---|
| Perjury probe over Sheridan trial | Perjury probe over Sheridan trial |
| (about 12 hours 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. |
| Mr Sheridan, who won his defamation action, dismissed the launch of the formal inquiry as "nothing new". | Mr Sheridan, who won his defamation action, dismissed the launch of the formal inquiry as "nothing new". |
| Public acrimony | Public acrimony |
| The former Scottish Socialist Party leader won his case against the News of the World newspaper in August after a four-week hearing at the Court of Session in Edinburgh. | The former Scottish Socialist Party leader won his case against the News of the World newspaper in August after a four-week hearing at the Court of Session in Edinburgh. |
| Following the verdict, the News of the World described the jury's decision as "perverse". | Following the verdict, the News of the World described the jury's decision as "perverse". |
| It had accused the Glasgow MSP of cheating on his wife and taking part in orgies. | It had accused the Glasgow MSP of cheating on his wife and taking part in orgies. |
| Eleven fellow members of the SSP told the trial that Mr Sheridan had admitted at a party meeting in 2004 that he had visited a swingers club in Manchester. | Eleven fellow members of the SSP told the trial that Mr Sheridan 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 that discussion, insisting he had made no such admission. | Four of Mr Sheridan's party colleagues backed his account of that discussion, insisting he had made no such admission. |
| It is not possible to speculate as to any possible lines of inquiry Crown Office spokesman | 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 which culminated with Mr Sheridan and another MSP, Rosemary Byrne, leaving to set up a breakaway left-wing party, Solidarity. | The trial and its outcome led to public acrimony within the SSP which culminated with Mr Sheridan and another MSP, Rosemary Byrne, leaving to set up a breakaway left-wing party, Solidarity. |
| This weekend the News of the World made public a video recording by George McNeilage, who was Mr Sheridan's best man at his wedding. The newspaper claimed this showed Mr Sheridan admitting he had attended the Manchester club. | This weekend the News of the World made public a video recording by George McNeilage, who was Mr Sheridan's best man at his wedding. The newspaper claimed this showed Mr Sheridan admitting he had attended the Manchester club. |
| Mr Sheridan branded the story "a pack of lies" and declared: "A fictitious tape has been invented, concocted, and unleashed." | Mr Sheridan branded the story "a pack of lies" and declared: "A fictitious tape has been invented, concocted, and unleashed." |
| However, Euan McColm, the Scottish political editor of the News of the World, said: "The tape has been checked and verified by four leading voice analysts, all of whom agree that Tommy Sheridan is the man featured. | |
| "Tommy Sheridan's claim that the tape is faked isn't credible." | |
| Criminal investigation | Criminal investigation |
| 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 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. | 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. | "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." | "Lothian and Borders Police will submit a report to the procurator fiscal at Edinburgh in due course." |
| News Of The World Scottish editor Bob Bird said: "We welcome the police perjury investigation into the Tommy Sheridan case and will co-operate fully with the police inquiry." | News Of The World Scottish editor Bob Bird said: "We welcome the police perjury investigation into the Tommy Sheridan case and will co-operate fully with the police inquiry." |
| Mr Sheridan said the Crown Office was "only doing its job". | Mr Sheridan said the Crown Office was "only doing its job". |
| "There's nothing extraordinary in what the Crown Office has done, they are only doing their job," he said. | "There's nothing extraordinary in what the Crown Office has done, they are only doing their job," he said. |
| "It is a rehashed announcement from six weeks ago, there's nothing new." | "It is a rehashed announcement from six weeks ago, there's nothing new." |
| Mr Sheridan added that he would be happy to take part in any aspect of the police investigation. | Mr Sheridan added that he would be happy to take part in any aspect of the police investigation. |