STV Evidence of Sheridan Witch-hunt
February 28, 2008
STV have obtained statistics on perjury cases that further suggest socialist politician Tommy Sheridan, his friends and family are the victims of a political witch-hunt.
stv news can reveal the perjury investigation into Tommy Sheridan has topped the million pound mark. Forty thousand police hours have been spent on the probe which is the first perjury case at Lothian and Borders in nine years. Crown Office figures suggest perjury cases arising out of civil trials are virtually non -existant.
As Tommy Sheridan’s wife Gail and father in law Angus Healy became the latest to be charged with perjury - the socialist politican was in little doubt about whether the case is a political witch-hunt or Scottish justice in action.He said: “We as a family are disgusted about the way we’re being treated…I really want to
Tommy Sheridan and his wife Gail raise the question how Lothian and Borders police can find the time and the resources to conduct this vendetta.”
The duo joined five others - including Mr Sheridan - to be charged with lying under oath in the wake of his £200,000 defamation victory over the News of the World. It came after the paper printed lurid allegations about his private life.
Figures obtained by stv News appear to add weight to Mr Sheridan’s charge. In the last five years the Crown Office has received 1.6 million reports from the police - only 40% of which went to court. Those which did resulted in the police charging just 61 people with perjury. It means just 0.01% of all those cases heard in Scotland’s courts resulted in perjury charges. The number of convictions is even lower - at just 13.
It has also emerged the current investigation is the only one conducted by Lothian and Borders Police following a civil case in nearly a decade and that it has spent around £1 million on police salaries alone.
The decision on whether or not those charged with perjury in this case face prosecution rests at the Crown Office. They must decide whether there’s enough evidence and, crucially, whether it is in the public interest to push ahead. It is fair to say whatever their decision is - it will be closely scrutinised.
February 29, 2008 at 1:30 pm
Great post… it is absurd that they put Sheridan and his family true this ordeal so policy bosses can score some points with the Murdoch-own press. It seems that persecuting left-wing leaders, plotting incredible explanations for suicides of Iraq weapons inspectors and killing innocent Brazilian are the most enduring legacy of the police in Britain (that is of course excluding institutional racism and xenophobia)… shame on the police managers (they do not deserve to be called constables) who have bow to political pressures. Aren’t the SNP leaders and the remaining decent police officers to say anything about this? Is not about Sheridan, it is about defending the right of any individual to challenge the big media.
February 29, 2008 at 2:42 pm
Im afraid one of the biggest silences , and a lot of private cheering , on this issue will be coming from “colleagues” of Mr. Sheridan in the decimated SSP.
A very sad tale of the Left clutching abject humiliation from the jaws of unprecidented success by choosing narrow ideology over and above a mass social justice movement.
In this instance the Left can learn a great deal from the pragmatism and flexibility shown by the Scottish Nationalists.
July 20, 2008 at 4:34 pm
Sheridan can take part in orgies every night if he so wishes- it is his democratic individual freedom. As long as he does not infringe on the rights of others. It never stopped Clinton from shagging anything on two legs (and a couple on four legs) and still running the Presidency of the USA. Someone high up is out to nail Sheridan and is succeeding. It would be more apt to find and name these people rather than ‘tut’- ‘tutting’ about the case itself.