A former editor of the News Of The World Scotland has been arrested and charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice at the time of ex-MSP Tommy Sheridan's defamation action against the newspaper.
Bob Bird, 56, was detained in Glasgow on Wednesday morning by officers from Strathclyde Police.
He has since been released from custody and a report will now be prepared for prosecutors.
Speaking after his release, Mr Bird said: "I just want to say I'm really sad and disappointed that things have come to this today.
"I have always tried to do the right thing throughout my 30, 40-odd years in journalism and I will be denying the charge that has been made against me today.
"On legal advice, I can't say any more at the moment."
A police spokeswoman said: "Officers from Operation Rubicon of Strathclyde Police arrested and charged a 56-year-old man with attempting to pervert the course of justice at the time of the defamation action of Thomas Sheridan versus News Groups Newspapers.
"A report will be submitted to the procurator fiscal in Glasgow. Proceedings are now active and it would be inappropriate for us to comment any further."
Operation Rubicon is the Strathclyde Police inquiry into allegations of phone hacking, breach of data protection and perjury.
Mr Sheridan won his defamation action against the News of the World at the Court of Session in Edinburgh in 2006.
He was awarded £200,000 in damages after the tabloid printed claims about his private life. Mr Bird gave evidence at the hearing.
Mr Sheridan was jailed for three years in January 2011 after being found guilty of lying about the now-defunct tabloid's claims that he was an adulterer who visited a swingers' club.
That trial, which lasted almost 12 weeks at the High Court in Glasgow, was one of the longest of its kind in Scottish legal history.
Mr Sheridan was released from jail after serving one year of his sentence.
