Andy Coulson Cleared Of Perjury

Andy Coulson, the former News of the World editor, has been cleared of committing perjury.

He was cleared while giving evidence in the 2010 trial of ex-MSP Tommy Sheridan.

Coulson, 47, was alleged to have lied about his knowledge of phone hacking at the former publication. However, today, the case against him collapsed after his defence team argued there was no case to answer.

Ruling, Judge Lord Burns said the Crown had failed to show Mr Coulson's evidence was relevant to the Sheridan trial.

Following his acquittal, Mr Coulson was quoted outside the High Court in Edinburgh as saying: "I am obviously delighted by the judge's decision today. It was the right decision.

"This prosecution was always wrong. I didn't lie and the prosecution, in my view, was a gross waste of public money.

"I am just delighted that after four pretty testing years that my family and myself have finally had a good day."

In his ruling, Lord Burns said the Crown needed to prove that Coulson's alleged false evidence in the 2010 case was relevant to the issues in the trial. He added that it was for him to decide as a judge, rather than a jury. Following two days of legal submissions, Lord Burns said the Crown had not satisfied him that Coulson's evidence had been relevant.

Responding to Wednesday's ruling, a spokesperson for the Crown Office said: "Andrew Coulson was a defence witness at the trial of Tommy Sheridan. He gave his evidence without objection as to relevancy.

"The Crown indicted Coulson on the basis that he lied during parts of his evidence, in particular that he had no knowledge of phone hacking.

"The trial judge in the Coulson trial, at the conclusion of the prosecution evidence, ruled that this evidence was irrelevant and therefore could not found the basis for a prosecution for perjury. This brings proceedings to an end."

According to reports, the judge formally acquitted Mr Coulson on Monday, but the acquittal was suspended and could not be reported until this morning while the Crown decided whether it would appeal. No appeal was made, meaning Coulson was cleared. The acquittal comes more than three years after he was initially charged.

In 2006, Mr Sheridan won a defamation case against the News of the World. He was awarded £200,000 in damages over a series of articles in the tabloid that claimed he was an adulterer. Four years later, he stood trial, accused of perjury in the 2006 case. He was convicted and jailed for three years.

During his own defence in the trial, he called upon Coulson as a witness. It was this evidence provided by Coulson to the High Court in Glasgow during December 2010, that later prompted the Crown to accuse him of perjury.

(JP)