Witness statements at the Tommy Sheridan perjury trial to be assessed by Strathclyde Police after Sheridan lawyer hands in dossier

Dear All

When Tommy Sheridan got slammed up for perjury, I was sorry for him, but I never thought he was innocent.

The evidence against him was like a tsunami.

There is a videotape confession

There is a witness who appears in the tape who says it is genuine

There are several witnesses at a meeting who say Sheridan confessed

There are third party witnesses who place Sheridan at the Sex Club in Manchester.

At present a witness who gave evidence at the trial Andy Coulson is under arrest, and he maybe coming back to Scotland.

Take away Coulson's testimony and it still doesn’t alter the facts above.

Tommy Sheridan may get some satisfaction that the NOTW is closing and Coulson’s tits are in a ringer but that’s it.

Labour MP Tom Watson says the conviction is unsafe, if a retrial took place Sheridan would still be found guilty.

Another aspect was the NOTW has been said to have paid a witness, in this case George McNeilage.

McNeilage did receive money but for the tape he made of him and Tommy Sheridan in conversation, where Tommy Sheridan confessed.

The narrative that he is a paid witness which some people are trying to develop is bull shit.

IQs haven’t dropped that far yet.

The Crown Office who bagged Sheridan has requested Strathclyde Police enquire into evidence given by certain witnesses in the Tommy Sheridan trial.

People are watching but there isn’t a groundswell of Tommy Sheridan is innocent waiting in the wings.

Strathclyde Police have been asked to make a preliminary assessment and to report to the Area Procurator Fiscal at Glasgow for consideration of any further action.

The Crown Office said:

"In light of emerging developments regarding the News of the World the Crown has requested Strathclyde Police to inquire into the evidence given by certain witnesses in the trial of Tommy Sheridan. Strathclyde Police have been asked to make a preliminary assessment and to report to the Area Procurator Fiscal at Glasgow for consideration of any further action."

During Sheridan's perjury trial, Andy Coulson had been grilled about phone-hacking by Tommy Sheridan who elected to run his own defence.

Coulson gave evidence to the case saying he had no knowledge of payments to police.

But in the House of Commons, Rebekah Brooks said payments to Police were made, this puts Coulson on a sticky wicket.

So, Sheridan’s team may get Coulson but that doesn’t alter Sheridan’s position, he cannot explain away the overwhelming evidence against him which was material in finding him guilty.

Will Tommy Sheridan’s team try for a re-trial?

What would that buy him?

If the trial is run again, he would still get found guilty because the evidence is compelling.

But as least he can take some comfort in the old Klingon proverb:

Revenge is a dish best served cold.

But Coulson’s possible alleged guilt doesn’t make Scotland’s Nelson Mandela Tommy Sheridan innocent.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University