Ian Campbell

After the testimony of Anthony and Louise Cumberbirch the next witness was Ian Campbell a member of the SSP. Mr Campbell told the court  that he had discussed the 9th November Scottish Socialist Party meeting with Jock Penman (for an account of Mr Penman's testimony see Here ) and that Mr Penman had told him this was  "fiery" and that "Tommy Sheridan didn't admit anything." The witness added that he had later spoken to Pam Currie and Alison Kane who had informed him that Mr Sheridan had admitted to attending the Cupids club to the executive . Mr Campbell had spoken to Mr Penman again to confirm his account and he told the court   that Mr Penman had said on this occasion that the meeting was "confused" with everyone raising their voices. However he had again said that he had not heard any admissions. The witness added that Mr Penman had also said he would be "prepared to lie for Tommy Sheridan."

Alex Prentice QC, the Advocate Depute, then brought into evidence recovered text messages sent from Mr Campbell's phone to Mr Penman (these were also discussed yesterday, see Here ) The witness said that a reference in one of the messages to "Fizz Poison" related to previous Crown witness Felicity Garvie who he was angry with for what he called her "divisive" actions in the party. Mr Prentice then ended his evidence in chief and Paul McBride QC (acting for Gail Sheridan) rose to cross -examine.

Mr McBride opened by asking Mr Campbell about a conversation he had with Katrine Trolle (another Crown witness) at the SSP conference in Glasgow in 2006. The witness stated that Ms Trolle had told him, at a social event, that she was 'having an affair with Tommy Sheridan at the Perth Conference in 2005 (one of the charges against Gail Sheridan is that she perjured herself in the 2006 libel trial by telling the court she met Ms Trolle at the 2005 Perth conference) After a discussion between Mr McBride and the presiding judge Lord Bracadale over the exact words contained in Mr Campbell's police statement, and a short adjournment while the original was located. The witness again said that this is what he had told the police. The court then rose for lunch.

After lunch the court resumed with Mr Sheridan's cross-examination of Ian Campbell. Mr Sheridan asked the witness about a remark in his statement to police that he had information before the publication of the News of the World's original 31st October story that newspaper was about to publish allegations against him. Mr Campbell explained that he had a discussion "about a week before" the 31st October, with Pam Currie (current national secretary of the SSP) who had told him a newspaper had information on Mr Sheridan.

Mr Sheridan then returned to the 9th November SSP executive meeting (the "9/11" meeting) and asked the witness who had told him that Mr Sheridan had made admissions there. The witness listed Morag Balfour, Ken Ferguson, Felicity Garvie, Pam Currie and Alison Kane. Mr Sheridan asked Mr Campbell if he would be "surprised to hear" that neither Morag Balfour or Ken Ferguson had been at the executive that night, Mr Campbell replied "yes, aye." Then after a brief discussion about the text messages mentioned earlier, with the witness stating he had been angry at the formation of the "United Left faction" as he thought it harmful to party unity Mr Sheridan ended his cross-examination. The Advocate depute declined to re-examine and Mr Campbell stepped down from the witness stand.