Timeline: Sheridan trial week one
- Published
OCTOBER 4-8
Former Scottish Socialist Party leader Tommy Sheridan, 46, is on trial accused of perjury.
His wife Gail, 46, also faced perjury charges which have now been dropped.
It is claimed Mr Sheridan lied in court so that he could successfully sue the News of the World in 2006.
The former MSP won £200,000 in damages after the newspaper printed allegations about his private life, claiming that he was an adulterer who had visited a swingers club.
Following a police investigation, Mr Sheridan was charged with perjury. He denies the allegations.
Here, is s summary of the first week of evidence
DAY ONE
Tommy Sheridan admitted to political colleagues that he had twice visited a swingers club, a court has heard.
Barbara Jane Scott told the High Court in Glasgow she was taking notes at a Scottish Socialist Party meeting when the former MSP made his comments.
In the first day of the new trial, Ms Scott, 40, told the court that the SSP called an emergency meeting of its executive committee after the newspaper article appeared.
The meeting took place on 9 November 2004 at the SSP headquarters in Stanley Street, Glasgow.
DAY TWO
Scottish Socialist Party members talked about changing minutes in which Tommy Sheridan allegedly admitted attending a swingers club, a court has heard.
On the second day of the trial, Barbara Scott told the High Court in Glasgow that party members did not want to hand the document to police as it would have "dropped Tommy in it".
Ms Scott said a citation asking for the documents was sent to the Scottish Socialist Party (SSP) headquarters ahead of Mr Sheridan's civil defamation action.
Former SSP treasurer Allison Kane also gave evidence.
She told the court she was at the meeting where Mr Sheridan allegedly confessed to visiting the club.
She said the former party leader later contacted her by phone so no formal minutes would be produced.
DAY THREE
The Tommy Sheridan perjury trial has heard an ex-colleague compare the former MSP to a Conservative peer who was jailed for lying in court.
Allan Green, 53, told the High Court in Glasgow he was appalled a man known for his honesty would follow the path of Lord Jeffrey Archer.
Giving evidence on the third day of the trial, Mr Green said that he first met Mr Sheridan in the mid-1990s as the SSP came into being.
The supply teacher said he was the SSP's national secretary when he called a meeting in November 2004 to discuss rumours about Tommy Sheridan's sex life.
He told the court the former MSP admitted visiting a swingers club but then shocked the gathering saying he would deny it publicly and take legal action to clear his name.
DAY FOUR
A perjury trial has been shown video footage in which Tommy Sheridan allegedly says he made a "mistake" by admitting to visiting a swingers club.
Mr Sheridan's former colleague, Colin Fox, told the High Court in Glasgow that the off-camera voice making the comment was that of the former MSP.
The video footage was played during evidence from Mr Fox on day four of the trial.
The video was said to have been filmed in the days after an emergency meeting of the SSP executive about the revelations in the News of the World.
It was obtained by the News of the World following Mr Sheridan's successful libel action against the newspaper.
DAY FIVE
The Tommy Sheridan perjury trial has been shown a 40-minute video in which he allegedly admits to twice visiting a swingers' club.
In the tape, a voice identified by ex-colleague Carolyn Leckie as Mr Sheridan - is heard saying: "Done it once before in '96 and went back in 2003".
The video tape shown in court is said to have emerged after Mr Sheridan's court victory.
When it was played for the jury, a man's voice could be heard saying: "Done it once before in '96 and went back in 2003... at the time it was a great idea".
Former Scottish Socialist Party (SSP) MSP and colleague, Carolyn Leckie, said the voice on the tape making the admission was that of Mr Sheridan.
She identified another man on the tape as George McNeilage, the best man at Mr Sheridan's wedding.