Sheridan poised for early release from jail in four months

Published on Saturday 25 June 2011 16:54

TOMMY Sheridan, the former leader of the Scottish Socialist Party who was jailed for perjury this year, could be released within four months, it has emerged.

The 47-year-old former MSP is expected to be let out with an electronic tag by October, after serving one quarter of his three-year sentence.

His lawyer has also stated that Sheridan expects to be permanently freed by next January.

Details of his release emerged after Sheridan was moved from Glasgow's Barlinnie Prison to Castle Huntly open jail, outside Dundee, on Tuesday. He will also be eligible for home visits lasting up to a week within a month.

Sheridan was jailed in January after being convicted for lying during his successful defamation case against the News of the World in 2006.

He had falsely claimed the newspaper's allegations that he was an adulterer who attended sex clubs were untrue.

Sheridan's lawyer, Aamer Anwar, said: "Mr Sheridan could be released by October with a tag on home curfew and his liberation date in January 2012.

"There is always a possibility that he will be released before that - the prisons are bursting at the seams and the situation is fluid.

"We haven't yet reached the American system where we lock someone up and throw away the key. Mr Sheridan has contributed a lot to the people of Scotland and has a lot still to contribute.

"His release in January is the most likely result to come now because he is not a risk to any member of the public and he is at low risk of reoffending."

Sheridan's release would be well ahead of the Christmas he famously urged jurors at his trial not to deprive him of with his wife Gail and young daughter. Political parties have expressed anger that Sheridan is unlikely to serve the 18 months that the public was led to believe he would.

John Lamont, Scottish Conservative justice spokesman, said: "In order to restore faith in the justice system, we desperately need to restore honesty in sentencing.

"Tommy Sheridan was sentenced to three years in January and people will be astonished that he is already eligible for weekend release and could be out on a tag later this year.

"The sentence handed down should be the sentence served."

Scottish Labour has demanded to know whether Sheridan has received special treatment.

"People will be shocked that, after serving only a fraction of his sentence, Tommy Sheridan is set to be released," a spokesman said.

"Nobody is above the law, so Tommy Sheridan should be treated just like any other prisoner.

"We need to know whether he has received special treatment."