We thought some readers from outside our fair land might like to be made aware that BBC Scotland broadcast a documentary titled "The Rise and lies of Tommy Sheridan," on the night of the verdict. Without commenting on the conclusions it draws I do think it is a useful piece giving readers the chance to see the main protagonists in the case being interviewed on camera and make their own jugement on their demeanor.
You can find the documentary Here
9 comments:
His behaviour, attitude, conduct and general experssion all point to a guy that had lost the plot a long time ago. If he had just ignored the stories he could have carried on but being a big mouth he just landed himself right in it.
There is no smoke without fire and he went in with a can of petrol and torched his own house.
I agree that this documentary did confirm, in my mind, the correctness of verdict of the jury in the perjury trial. The verdict I had hoped for, as a second triumphant Tommy Sheridan would have been insufferable.
What I cannot understand is why the BBC can show footage of police interviews, of Gail and Tommy. There is no doubt about the genuineness of this video footage and where it was taken, namely a police station.
How did this get out?
Is the News of the World involved in this?
With respect James, perhaps your only mistake, BBC iplayer is generally not available outside the UK.. :)
I think you will find that this explains.
18 August 2010
By PA Media Lawyer
A restriction banning almost all reporting of the preliminary hearings in the perjury case against former Socialist MSP Tommy Sheridan and his wife Gail was made significantly less restrictive after an application by the BBC.
The original order - passed by Lord Bracadale - allowed just the fact that a preliminary hearing had taken place, the date and location, to be reported.
Lord Bracadale amended the order during a hearing on 28 July after BBC lawyers argued that the original was too wide-ranging and not justified.
An argument put forward on behalf of the Sheridans was that the case had already attracted considerable prejudicial publicity.
Maggie Scott QC, for Tommy Sheridan, and Paul McBride QC, for Gail Sheridan, argued that reporting of discussions during preliminary hearings about evidence to be put at the trial would be likely to prejudice jurors.
Scott said the context was extensive and continuing prejudicial publicity, and the possibility that reporting of what happened at preliminary hearings would allow people to track down information of a prejudicial nature on the internet.
McBride argued that the original order was proportionate, reasonable and necessary to prevent a substantial risk of prejudice to the proceedings.
Ronnie Clancy QC, for the BBC argued that reporting that there was legal argument about preliminary issues dealt with at hearings was not of itself prejudicial,
The court was also told that the original order was so wide it banned reporting of information which could not possibly be prejudicial such as the date of the trial, its likely duration and location.
In addition, the order banned any indication of the number of witnesses involved, and any information about any special defences or pleas in bar of trial.
After considering the submissions Lord Bracadale made a new order which prohibited, until the conclusion of the proceedings and trial, the reporting of legal arguments on preliminary issues including all evidential matters, and issues concerning documentation
Thanks for that Kojak.
I still don't see why Police interviews/interrogations can be "leaked" to the police like that.
I feel the same about "leaks" in non political trials as well, and I can only think it's PR work on behalf of Her Majesty's finest who feel that they have a case to answer because of their conduct in certain cases.
Anonymous 8:36
I think you will find that the tapes of the police interview were not "Leaked" to the BBC.
I have seen many police interviews shown on the TV.
It will need someone with a legal mind to explain how the BBC were able to get their hands on the interviews.
By the time the case comes to court the Police tapes become a matter of public record and ( I think) are obtained through the Media Services department of the Police. There was no leaking.
Anonymous 8:36 PM
Sorry, but this was not a 'political trial' as you seem to suggest. It was merely a trial involving a politician.
There can be no place in a civilised society where the laws and courts are applied other than equally to all and, to be honest, I don't think that was the case here.
If I had taken another party to court in an effort to punish them (financially or social) and I knew that to achieve this my case would have to be built on a pack of lies, and then I still went ahead with it, then I would expect to have been treated exactly the same as has happened in this case.
It was Mr. Sheridan who put himself in the hands of the courts, had he never engaged such a process we would not have this blog now. Persecution is not an issue here.
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