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| Andy Coulson held in Tommy Sheridan trial perjury inquiry | Andy Coulson held in Tommy Sheridan trial perjury inquiry |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Prime Minister David Cameron's former director of communications Andy Coulson has been detained by police investigating allegations of perjury. | Prime Minister David Cameron's former director of communications Andy Coulson has been detained by police investigating allegations of perjury. |
| Mr Coulson, 44, was detained at his home in the Dulwich area of London at 06:30 by seven officers from Strathclyde Police. | Mr Coulson, 44, was detained at his home in the Dulwich area of London at 06:30 by seven officers from Strathclyde Police. |
| He arrived at a police station in Glasgow shortly before 15:30. | |
| Mr Coulson is being held on suspicion of committing perjury at the trial of former MSP Tommy Sheridan in 2010. | |
| A police spokeswoman said: "Officers from Strathclyde Police's Operation Rubicon team detained a 44-year-old man in London this morning under section 14 of the Criminal Procedure Scotland Act 1995 on suspicion of committing perjury before the High Court in Glasgow." | A police spokeswoman said: "Officers from Strathclyde Police's Operation Rubicon team detained a 44-year-old man in London this morning under section 14 of the Criminal Procedure Scotland Act 1995 on suspicion of committing perjury before the High Court in Glasgow." |
| Mr Coulson has not been charged and is not under arrest. | Mr Coulson has not been charged and is not under arrest. |
| In Scotland, a suspect is detained on suspicion of an offence, unlike in England and Wales where a suspect is arrested. | In Scotland, a suspect is detained on suspicion of an offence, unlike in England and Wales where a suspect is arrested. |
| For two days in December 2010, as student protests convulsed the streets of London, Andy Coulson and Tommy Sheridan crossed swords at the High Court in Glasgow. | For two days in December 2010, as student protests convulsed the streets of London, Andy Coulson and Tommy Sheridan crossed swords at the High Court in Glasgow. |
| The Socialist politician asked Mr Coulson, by then working for the Conservative prime minister, about his time as editor of the News of the World. | The Socialist politician asked Mr Coulson, by then working for the Conservative prime minister, about his time as editor of the News of the World. |
| The tabloid had published a string of lurid allegations about Sheridan but Mr Coulson denied he had a vendetta against the former MSP. | The tabloid had published a string of lurid allegations about Sheridan but Mr Coulson denied he had a vendetta against the former MSP. |
| The smartly-dressed spin doctor also denied having any knowledge of illegal phone hacking at the newspaper, denied that he had been given a pay-off to keep quiet about his time as editor, and denied any knowledge of journalists at the paper paying corrupt police officers for information. | The smartly-dressed spin doctor also denied having any knowledge of illegal phone hacking at the newspaper, denied that he had been given a pay-off to keep quiet about his time as editor, and denied any knowledge of journalists at the paper paying corrupt police officers for information. |
| He also denied that there had been a corrupt relationship between News International and Scotland Yard. | He also denied that there had been a corrupt relationship between News International and Scotland Yard. |
| For most of his time in the witness box, Andy Coulson was calm, professional and succinct, but the exchanges became bad tempered as he insisted he was confident that police would find no evidence that he knew about hacking. | For most of his time in the witness box, Andy Coulson was calm, professional and succinct, but the exchanges became bad tempered as he insisted he was confident that police would find no evidence that he knew about hacking. |
| Mr Coulson gave evidence at the perjury trial of former Scottish Socialist MSP Tommy Sheridan in 2010. | Mr Coulson gave evidence at the perjury trial of former Scottish Socialist MSP Tommy Sheridan in 2010. |
| Sheridan was awarded £200,000 in damages from the News of the World in 2006 after it printed allegations that he had committed adultery and visited a swingers' club. | Sheridan was awarded £200,000 in damages from the News of the World in 2006 after it printed allegations that he had committed adultery and visited a swingers' club. |
| After the court action, the former MSP and his wife Gail were charged with perjury. | After the court action, the former MSP and his wife Gail were charged with perjury. |
| She was acquitted during the subsequent trial but Mr Sheridan was convicted in December 2010. He has since been freed after serving just over a year of a three-year sentence. | She was acquitted during the subsequent trial but Mr Sheridan was convicted in December 2010. He has since been freed after serving just over a year of a three-year sentence. |
| Mr Coulson was called to give evidence at Sheridan's trial as he was editor of the News of the World between 2003 and 2007. | Mr Coulson was called to give evidence at Sheridan's trial as he was editor of the News of the World between 2003 and 2007. |
| During heated exchanges with Sheridan, who represented himself at the trial, Mr Coulson denied being involved in, or aware of, any illegal activities, including phone hacking. | During heated exchanges with Sheridan, who represented himself at the trial, Mr Coulson denied being involved in, or aware of, any illegal activities, including phone hacking. |
| At the time of his two-day appearance, he was employed as Prime Minister David Cameron's director of communications. | At the time of his two-day appearance, he was employed as Prime Minister David Cameron's director of communications. |
| Mr Coulson resigned from that post in January 2011, saying coverage of the News of the World phone hacking scandal had "made it difficult to give the 110% needed in this role". | Mr Coulson resigned from that post in January 2011, saying coverage of the News of the World phone hacking scandal had "made it difficult to give the 110% needed in this role". |
| In July 2011, he was arrested by Metropolitan Police investigating the News of the World hacking scandal and later released on bail. | In July 2011, he was arrested by Metropolitan Police investigating the News of the World hacking scandal and later released on bail. |
| Commenting on the move, Mr Sheridan said: "Fortunately, given the hard work of Operation Rubicon, we now have a start to what will hopefully become criminal charges. | Commenting on the move, Mr Sheridan said: "Fortunately, given the hard work of Operation Rubicon, we now have a start to what will hopefully become criminal charges. |
| "Hopefully Mr Coulson won't be lonely, but will be joined by colleagues in the future." | "Hopefully Mr Coulson won't be lonely, but will be joined by colleagues in the future." |
| Mr Sheridan said he believed it was the first step "in the journey towards the quashing of my conviction, which was unsafe and unsound". | Mr Sheridan said he believed it was the first step "in the journey towards the quashing of my conviction, which was unsafe and unsound". |
| Sheridan's solicitor, Gordon Dangerfield, said: "We have very strong grounds of appeal and will be lodging a full appeal in due course." |