Angry Sheridans set to sue police over their treatment in run-up to perjury trial

Disgraced former Scottish Socialist Party leader Tommy Sheridan and his wife Gail are set to sue police over the way they were treated as officers pursued perjury charges against the couple.

The Sheridans' legal team has written to Lothian and Borders Chief Constable David Strang and Lord Advocate Elish Angiolini threatening to sue unless a "full investigation" is carried out into how CCTV footage of the couple being questioned fell into the hands of BBC documentary makers.

Separate complaints have also been lodged by Gail Sheridan about detectives confiscating her rosary beads during an interview, and claiming that she faced specific questions because of her Catholicism, which her solicitor claims left her "traumatised."

Another complaint from Mrs Sheridan, who is set to stand for the Solidarity party in May's Holyrood election, is over police seizing a collection of 150 alcohol miniatures during a raid on the family's Glasgow home.

The couple's solicitor Aamer Anwar's letter to police raises the issue of the taped police interviews played in the documentary The Rise and Lies of Tommy Sheridan, broadcast on the night the guilty verdict was returned against the former SSP leader.

The letter said: "During the course of that programme extracts of the police interview tape of Mr Sheridan as well as his wife were used. It is clear that these tapes had been leaked to the BBC well in advance of the conviction.

"We are instructed to consider legal proceedings against Lothian and Borders Police should an adequate and transparent investigation not take place."

Mr Anwar confirmed yesterday that the formal complaints about the couple's treatment by police could lead to the Lothian and Borders force being sued.