Sheridan's wife on perjury charge

Gail Sheridan arrived with her father and husband

The wife of Tommy Sheridan has been charged over claims of perjury during the former MSP's defamation case against the News of the World.

Gail Sheridan and her father Angus Healy, 71, were questioned at Gayfield police station in Edinburgh.

Police later confirmed that both Mrs Sheridan and Mr Healy had been charged in connection with the investigation.

Tommy Sheridan, who won defamation damages in August 2006, was charged with perjury in December.

Three colleagues who gave evidence during the hearing were also charged earlier this month.

The trio are former Scottish Socialist MSP Rosemary Byrne, Solidarity national secretary Graeme McIver and party member Jock Penman.

It is also believed that former SSP member Pat Smith was charged on Sunday.

Mrs Sheridan arrived at Gayfield police station at about 1300 GMT on Tuesday and was questioned for six hours.

She had given evidence during the 23-day trial at the Court of Session in Edinburgh in August 2006.

I really do want to raise the question how Lothian and Borders Police can find the time and resources to conduct this vendetta against my family and friends Tommy Sheridan

Mr Sheridan, who left the Scottish Socialists to set up Solidarity, was awarded £200,000 damages following his case against the Sunday tabloid.

The jury dismissed the paper's claims that he was a serial adulterer and swinger who used drugs.

Mrs Sheridan told the court that her husband "would be in the Clyde with a piece of concrete tied round him" if she thought there was any truth to the allegations.

Mr Healy provided an alibi for Mr Sheridan for two instances when witnesses alleged he had taken part in a threesome in a Glasgow hotel suite.

Speaking outside the police station, Mr Sheridan said: "Police have today detained a 71-year-old grandfather for over four hours and charged him with perjury.

"They've detained a 44-year-old mother-of-one who has never been in trouble in her life for over six hours and charged her with perjury."

The former MSP said his family was "disgusted" about the way they had been treated and claimed they were the victims of a "vendetta".

He added: "We are dismayed and disenchanted by the behaviour of Lothian and Borders Police but we're also determined that we'll fight on to prove our innocence because our family and friends have done nothing to be ashamed of and certainly do not deserve the treatment that we've been subjected to.

"I really do want to raise the question how Lothian and Borders Police can find the time and resources to conduct this vendetta against my family and friends."