NOTW Scandal: Sheridan Evidence Probed

Witness statements at the trial of former Scottish politician Tommy Sheridan are to be investigated following new claims about the News Of The World.

Sheridan was jailed for three years in January after being convicted of perjury.

A jury found he had lied in court when he successfully sued the News of the World after the newspaper reported he attended swinging parties.

Lawyers for the jailed former member of the Scottish parliament have called for Strathclyde Police to look at whether or not former News Of The World editor Andy Coulson lied in court when he gave evidence during the trial.

On Wednesday, the Metropolitan police commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson said that documents provided by the News Of The World parent company News International appeared to include information about "inappropriate payments" to police officers.

He did not mention Andy Coulson, or any other News International executive, by name.

Sheridan 's lawyers have said the reports contrast with Mr Coulson's trial evidence, in which he stated he had "no knowledge" of police payments.

The former member of the Scottish Parliament is soon to begin week-long home visits from Castle Huntly open prison, having served six months of his sentence.

Sheridan's lawyer Aamer Anwar is to hand a dossier of evidence to Strathclyde Police which he believes forms a case for pursuing Mr Coulson and former colleagues for perjury.

He told Sky News: "The News of the World has engaged in the destruction of people's lives with the protection of the authorities.

"It is now time that those at the top of this organisation were arrested and questioned if they are not above the law.

"The police spent over £2m investigating Mr. Sheridan in the public interest.

"It is time to prove this was not a vindictive and one-sided investigation by holding those at the top of News International to account."

Sheridan's supporters believe the evidence of other News of the World executives also undermines his conviction.

Prior to the trial, his lawyers asked for access to News of the World emails.

The paper's Scottish editor Bob Bird said, in court, that the emails had gone missing after being archived in Mumbai.

It has since emerged that the emails in question are located in a warehouse in London.

Their content is not known, but Sheridan's lawyers said that if they had been able to see them, it might have strengthened their case.

They believe that the fact they were not given access to them means the jury which convicted Sheridan on an 8-6 majority was not in possession of the full facts.