26/01/2011

Three Year Jail Term For Tommy Sheridan

A former member of the Scottish Parliament has been sentenced to three years in prison for perjury.

Tommy Sheridan's plea for leniency for the sake of his family was rejected.

The former Scottish Socialist Party leader, 46, accused the media of "baying" for the judge to make an example of him. He also criticised the News of the World for destroying people's lives with immunity.

Judge Lord Bracadale told Sheridan: "You brought the walls of the temple crashing down on your head, on your political friends and foes alike and on your family."

After a three-month trial that ended before Christmas, Sheridan was found guilty and was warned with a jail term.

The Scottish politician was convicted of having lied in court in 2006, when he won a case against the News of the World worth £200,000.

The newspaper printed claims that the politician had a number of affairs and attended a swingers' club.

The damages were never awarded due to the subject of the appeal.

(BMcN/GK)

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