The Last Post

Photo Duncan Brown

As it is now coming up to ten days since the end of the trial of Her Majesties Advocate vs Thomas Sheridan we have decided to bring the Sheridan Trial blog to an end. We will leave it online as an archive but, unless something dramatic happens, we will not be producing any further updates. We will leave comments open over the weekend to allow people to make their final contributions and then shut that down on Monday.


As people will doubtless be aware the first accused, Tommy Sheridan was found guilty of five charges of perjury and sentenced to three years imprisonment. While this is not the result they wanted Mr Sheridan's legal team would argue that the fact that fourteen of the original nineteen charges were either dropped or not found proven by the jury, shows that they conducted an effective defence. Mr Sheridan's lawyer Aamer Aanwar has already announced that he will be lodging an appeal. A defence campaign has been launched for Mr Sheridan, they have a website Here Mr Sheridan also has a blog which has an account of his first week in prison


The second accused Gail Sheridan was acquitted on all charges. Despite speculation to the contrary Mrs Sheridan has announced that she will not be seeking a nomination as a candidate in the Scottish elections. There have reports that she may stand for Glasgow city council in the Craigton ward.


A number of witnesses in the case will however be standing in the Scottish elections this May.  Frances Curran, Colin Fox and Kevin McVey have already been announced as candidates for the Scottish Socialist Party.  It is also expected that a number of defence witnesses will be nominated by Solidarity Scotland, however no formal announcement has yet been made on this.


Andrew Coulson, the former editor of the News of the World, has resigned his post as Director of Communications at 10 Downing Street. Some reports have cited his appearance as a witness at the Sheridan Trial as a factor in his decision to quit.  The story around "phone hacking" by people associated with the News of the World has continued to develop since the case ended. The Metropolitan Police have announced that they have begun a new investigation into the allegations.


On a personal note I'd like to thank everyone who helped make this blog possible. The people at court who made sure I got in to observe proceedings every day and the staff at Glasgow High court for their assistance and the two legal teams.  I'd also like to mention some of the journalists who helped me out and gave me advice on how to stay within the law while reporting, in no particular order I'd like to thank Severin Carrel Alison Campsie, Bernard Ponsonby, Raymond Buchanan, Yana Thandrayen, Catriona Renton, Audrey Gillan, Alan Taylor and  Mark Daly and many others. Also I'd like to recommended the web sites of my unofficial legal advisors, Love and Garbage and Lallands Peat Worrier 


I'd also like to congratulate  "Whatsy" for their work, without that the site would not have managed to cover as much as it did. 


Finally, after some thought I've decided not to accept donations for the site. I started this blog partly to see if it was possible to "blog a trial"and partly because  it might be useful for the Scottish Left to  have as an objective as possible account of events and testimony at the trial. Therefore it seems wrong to solicit money for this endevour. Some commentators have asked if we could nominate a charity, I'd suggest people could do worse than donate to Govan Law Centre 


Thanks again to everyone


James


Update Monday 7 February


Comments are now closed. We can still be reached by email at sheridantrial@gmail.com

Andy Coulson Leaves Downing Street Job

Photograph: Oli Scarff/Getty Images

The Guardian is reporting that Andrew Coulson, editor of the News of the World from 2003 until 2007 and a witness in the trial of Tommy and Gail Sheridan, has ended his employment as the Prime Ministers Director of Communications. They are also reporting that he will not receive any severance pay  as "is in line with the standard contract for special advisers"


The full story is Here

"A revelation that gives hope to Tommy Sheridan"

Bob Bird, Scottish Editor of the News of the World

The Independent has a Piece today, written by Cahal Milmo and Martin Hickman, on the news we linked to yesterday that the News of the World had recovered emails that the court in the Sheridan trial was told by Bob Bird had been "lost." (see Here for our report on that section of Mr Bird's testimony)  The article states; "News International now says Mr Bird unintentionally misled the court, but insists that all the emails sought by the defence were disclosed to it either by the newspaper or the police. Sheridan's legal team suspects that more information should have been disclosed, and plans to launch an appeal in the hope of springing Sheridan from Barlinnie jail, where he has begun a three-Year Jail term"

News International finds 'lost' emails

The Indpendent is Reporting "A "lost" hoard of emails sent by senior executives in Rupert Murdoch's newspaper empire at the height of the phone-hacking scandal has been found " The claim that emails had been lost was made by the News of the World's Scotland editor Bob Bird during the perjury trial of the former Scottish Socialist Party leader Tommy Sheridan in November. Giving evidence on oath, he said that many emails sought by the defence had gone missing while being transferred to India " (our reports about Mr Bird's testimony on this  issue can be viewed Here and Here )


The piece continues

Sheridan solicitor: "newspaper hacked my phone messages"

The Scottish Herald is reporting this morning that Tommy Sheridan's lawyer Aamer Anwar is planning to make a complaint to the police tomorrow alleging that the the News Of The World tried to "hack" his mobile phone. The article states; "The solicitor, who represented Tommy Sheridan during his perjury trial, said he was contacted by Vodafone shortly before the court case began last year, warned that there had been an attempt to access his messages and told he should change his PIN number.

You can read the full article Here

Tommy Sheridan's Statement on his Imprisonment

This was posted on Tommy Sheridan's Blog yesterday:

Comrades,

By the time you read this I will be a guest of the Crown.  Despite a tremendous fight against the combined forces of the state and the Murdoch empire, we have lost this round.  But the fight isn’t over yet.

Though I have been in jail before, this time will be tougher because I will be separated from my family.  But my plight is nothing compared to the families blown apart and torn apart by the horrors of war in Iraq and Afghanistan.  I have friends whose husbands, sons and fathers have to go to fight wars in these places, some of them never return.  My family’s troubles do not compare to the loss these people face.
 

"The women who refused to lie for Tommy Sheridan"

Photograph by Murdo MacLeod

This morning The Guardian has published an article by Julie Bindel which contains quotes from Crown witnesses in the case,  Barbara Scott, Carolyn Leckie, Pam Currie, Catriona Grant Rosie Kane and Katrine Trolle.  You can read the full piece Here

Meanwhile the Scotsman is reporting that they have obtained  "a copy of a letter from the Defend Tommy Sheridan campaign to the First Minister, demanding a probe into the "role, conduct and performance" of Lord Advocate Elish Angiolini in pursuing the case against the left-winger." That article is Here

Finally the Scottish Sun Newspaper has ran three stories that appear to have been based on interviews with Tony Cumberbirch these can be found Here. Mr Cumberbirtches testimony at the trial can be viewed Here

BBC Scotland Yesterday

We thought people outside Scotland may be interested to view two BBC Scotland discussions about the sentencing of Tommy Sheridan. The first is from "The Politics Show" broadcast yesterday afternoon where Gregor Gall, John Curtice and myself discuss the implications of the trial for the Scottish Left. That debate begins 31.30 minutes into the Programme.


The second link is from yesterday evening's  Newsnight Scotland where there is an interview with Mr Sheridan's lawyer Aamer Anwar.  George Galloway and two witnesses from the trial, Francis Curran and Phillip Stott also discuss the outcome of the case and it's political implications. You can view the full programme Here

Kenneth Roy and Ian Mcwhirter

Two of the best known Scottish political journalists, Kenneth Roy and Ian Macwhiter have articles published on the Sheridan case this morning that we thought may be of interest


Ian Macwhirter Writes 
"This whole episode has been a farce - and an expensive one for the tax payers who have to pay most of the costs of the police investigation and the trial.     Even the sentence was a joke. Sheridan will spent a year or so in Castle Huntly open prison, burnishing his anti-establishment image,  then he’ll be back on the streets again, surrounded by cheering admirers.   He will use his time in prison wisely, no doubt writing his memoirs - which is how disgraced politicians traditionally use such enforced leisure - and campaigning for penal reform.  He may even be back on the campaign trail for the Holyrood elections in 2015.  Well, why not?   There is nothing to prevent a convicted criminal, even one who lied under oath, from standing for parliament after he has paid his debt to society."  

Gail Sheridan "Not standing in Holyrood elections"

The Guardian's Scottish correspondent, Severin Carrell, has just reported, via Twitter, that Gail Sheridan has confirmed she will not be standing as a candidate in the 2011 Holyrood elections. More information to come when we get it.


Update 1pm
BBC Scotland's Raymond Buchanan has confirmed the story and has this  quote from Gail Sheridan "I would have welcomed the challenge" of Holyrood but priority is caring for young daughter now husband in jail.

The Trials of Tommy

BBC Radio Scotland yesterday broadcast a thirty minute  programme, "The Trials of Tommy" which has actors recreating key parts of the trial. This can be heard Here 


The three commentators on the case are Raymond Buchanan of the BBC, Alison Campsie of the Herald and myself,

Tommy Sheridan Mitigation Speech in Full

The BBC have posted a full transcript of Tommy Sheridan's speech of mitigation.

It can be found Here

Tommy Sheridan's Statement in Mitigation Summary

As court resumed this morningm  Lord Bracadale,  the presiding judge in the trial of Her Majesties Advocate Vs Thomas Sheridan,  warned those attending  not to engage in any "inappropriate behavior," Tommy Sheridan rose from his seat in the dock of court number four to begin his plea in mitigation.


Mr Sheridan began by thanking the court workers, including the canteen staff, for their assistance in what had been a "long trial." Mr Sheridan  then told the court that he "recognised the jury had carried out a difficult task" in a case that was "long and arduous." He then stated that the court would be aware "by fair means or foul" that he had been convicted by "the narrowest of majorities." adding that while he agreed that perjury was a serious crime that "strikes at the heart of justice" it was important to look at the context in which he brought his case against the News of the World.

Scottish Television Interview with Tommy Sheridan

Bernard Ponsonby

Shortly before his sentencing Tommy Sheridan conducted an interview with Scottish Television's Bernard Ponsonby


The full video of that interview can be viewed Here

Sheridan vows to fight conviction

Via the Press Association

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/disgraced-tommy-sheridan-jailed-for-three-years-2194651.html

Disgraced socialist politician Tommy Sheridan vowed to keep fighting as he was jailed for three years for perjury.

The former MSP described his punishment for lying to the courts during his successful defamation action against the News of the World in 2006 as "heartbreaking".
After being sentenced, he announced his intention to appeal against his conviction.
In a statement read outside court by his solicitor, Aamer Anwar, he said: "This multi-million pound prosecution will separate me from my wife and child and that will be heartbreaking. But I will continue to fight a system that protects the real criminals - the rich and powerful."
After a three-month trial at the High Court in Glasgow, Sheridan, 46, was found guilty in December of lying about the newspaper's claims that he was an adulterer who visited swingers' clubs.

News of the World Statement on Sentence

"This is a just outcome to a long and complex criminal case. Today's sentence also provides closure for the many witnesses who very bravely exposed their own lives to public scrutiny when they testified to Mr Sheridan's guilt.

"Mr Sheridan has been jailed for lying to a court to secure victory when he sued the News of the World for defamation in 2006. At the time he was an elected member of the Scottish Parliament. As we have made clear, we have an appeal lodged against that defamation verdict and we now look forward to that appeal succeeding in Scotland's Court of Session."

Scottish Socialist Party Statement on Sentence

The Scottish Socialist Party has now issued a statement on the sentencing of Tommy Sheridan.


"Today's proceedings at Glasgow High Court finally end the ill advised action Tommy Sheridan initiated 6 years ago in suing a tabloid over allegations he knew to be true. The jury found him guilty and the court has now passed sentence.

He alone is responsible for where he sleeps tonight, no one else.

He pursued legal action full in the knowledge he would lie in court. He asked his closest political allies and friends to join him in that crazy strategy and then turned on us because we refused. He still shows no sign of taking responsibility for his own actions.

More widely this affair is a stark warning of the dangers of allowing personal celebrity to displace political principles.

Solidarity Statement on Sentence

"Scottish justice has notched up another political miscarriage of justice alongside that of Al Megrahi and Muir of Huntershill”

Ian Hamilton QC

Solidarity condemns as barbaric and draconian the sentence imposed today on Tommy Sheridan.

We believe the lengthy jail term imposed by the judge is vindictive. It will reinforce the widespread view that this is the culmination of a brutal vendetta carried out by the rich and powerful against Scotland ’ most prominent socialist. A socialist who has earned their hatred for his uncompromising defence of working class people for the last 25 years.

Tommy Sheridan sentenced to Three Years in Prison

Lord Bracdale

After hearing Tommy Sheridan's plea in mitigation, about which a full report will be posted later today, the presiding judge Lord Bracadale sentenced Mr Sheridan to three years in prison. 

Lord Bracadale stated that Mr Sheridan was a "highly effective and hard working politician" and that he had "supported individuals in the community both in parliament and in the street," However the judge added that by pursuing a defamation action against the News of the World Mr Sheridan had "brought the walls of the temple crashing down not only on your own head but also on the heads of your family and your political friends alike."


You can read Lord Bracadale's full statement Here

More to follow.

Sentencing

Tomorrow morning, 26 January 2011, will see the trial of Her Majesty's Advocate v Thomas Sheridan reconvene for sentencing after the jury returned a majority verdict of guilty against Mr Sheridan on the 23rd December last year. Mr Sheridan will deliver a plea in mitigation before we hear the sentence and the judge's statement. Lord Bracadale has advised Mr Sheridan to expect to be sent to prison.


As we have a great deal of preparation to do before tomorrow we will be closing comments until after the conclusion of tomorrow's proceedings.