‘Round one to us’ boasts Tommy Sheridan in News of the World battle

Published on Tuesday 14 February 2012 16:49

THE former MSP Tommy Sheridan has claimed victory in the latest round of his long-running battle over his award for damages from the now defunct News of the World.

The publishers of the former Sunday paper are trying to reverse the historic £200,000 damages award made by a civil jury to Mr Sheridan.

However, at a hearing in the Court of Session in Edinburgh yesterday, it was decided the case would have to await the outcome of a police investigation into events at Mr Sheridan’s criminal trial for perjury in 2010.

The Operation Rubicon inquiry by Strathclyde Police, which features former News of the World employees including ex-Downing Street spin doctor Andy Coulson, was launched last summer, and is expected to last several more months.

Mr Sheridan, the former MSP, declared himself “very happy” with the outcome of the hearing as he left court.

“It is quite ironic that in 2007, this case was sisted [shelved] because of a police investigation into perjury at the civil trial. Now, in 2012, it is sisted again because of a police investigation into perjury, this time at the criminal trial,” he said.

“It is a matter of record and fact that three individuals who are under investigation are all former News of the World employees, Coulson, [Bob] Bird and [Douglas] Wight.

“We will wait for the outcome of that investigation, and then look forward to coming back to this court to fight for the upholding of the original jury verdict in this trial. If it was a boxing match, it would be round one to us,” he claimed.

Mr Sheridan’s solicitor, Aamer Anwar, said: “Nothing should be done to prejudice the police inquiry. We expect that inquiry to take the police several months.”