Psychic 'tipped off Sheridan on round-the-clock surveillance'

A FORMER News of the World columnist tipped off Tommy Sheridan that he was under round-the-clock surveillance on the orders of Rupert Murdoch, a court has heard.

Sheridan's perjury trial was told the claim had been made by a psychic agony aunt whose predictions often proved to be wide of the mark.

Bob Bird, editor of the paper's Scottish edition, ended four days in the witness box yesterday with a request from Sheridan to tell his bosses in London they would never break the former MSP's marriage to his wife Gail.

Mr Bird insisted: "The idea we have any kind of campaign against you is, to quote you, 'utter tripe'." Sheridan successfully sued the newspaper's publishers, News International, in 2006 over allegations it had printed about his private life. It was said he had cheated on his wife and had visited a sex club in Manchester. In the current trial, Sheridan, 46, and Gail Sheridan, 46, deny giving perjured evidence in the defamation litigation.

Cross-examined by Sheridan, Mr Bird told the High Court in Glasgow that Yasmin Urquhart, as Ruth the Truth, had been the paper's psychic agony aunt. Sheridan referred to a series of e-mails between him and Ms Urquhart before and after the defamation case, in which she alluded to information about the case the News of the World had on him.

She had said there were two prostitutes on his case, and other witnesses from within his own party. She had added: "I know you have 24/7 surveillance ordered by Rupert Murdoch and with BB's assistance. I will see what I can do. Just keep your head, they are hoping you go for one of them."

Sheridan asked Mr Bird if there was any reason he knew why Ms Urquhart should indicate he was under surveillance, and that Mr Bird was aware of it. "None whatsoever," he replied.

Sheridan continued: "It appears I am not the only one who thinks I am under surveillance and you were involved in it." Mr Bird replied: "That's two people. You and a psychic agony aunt... as a psychic agony aunt, it is fair to say she made a lot of predictions that did not come true."

Sheridan told the jury his defence team had obtained a court order before the trial to recover from the newspaper any information it had concerning phone hacking, or payments or offers of payments to witnesses. He suggested Mr Bird had not been forthcoming with documents.

Mr Bird said he had done his best but that many e-mails had been lost when they were being moved to an archive in India.

Sheridan accused Mr Bird and his paper of making a living from "destroying lives and breaking up relationships", and asked when he would next meet his bosses in London. Mr Bird said he did not know."I wonder if you would just tell them, this is one relationship which will never be broken," said Sheridan, adding: "No more questions."

The trial continues.