Former Scottish politician Tommy Sheridan and his wife, Gail, arrive at Glasgow high court last week. Photograph: Murdo Macleod/For the Guardian Tommy Sheridan has sacked his senior lawyers and will conduct his own defence in his trial for lying on oath during his libel victory over the News of the World.
The former MSP and Scottish Socialist party (SSP) leader dropped Maggie Scott QC and her two junior counsel this morning, after a succession of prosecution witnesses accused him of perjury during his libel case four years ago.
Sheridan, 46, is on trial with his wife, Gail, also 46, for lying and attempting to get witnesses to perjure themselves during his action against the newspaper â when he was awarded ÂĢ200,000. The couple deny the charges.
Lord Bracadale, the judge at the high court in Glasgow, told the jury of 13 women and two men that Sheridan would represent himself with the help of his solicitor, Aamer Anwar.
The trial, which started last week and was due to last up to 10 weeks, has now been suspended until Thursday to give Sheridan, currently leader of the socialist party Solidarity, extra time to prepare.
The judge told the jury: "There have been some developments in the case this morning; you will see Miss Scott and her junior counsel are no longer here.
"Mr Sheridan has instructed his solicitor to withdraw counsels instructions and Mr Sheridan will conduct his own defence. Any accused person is perfectly entitled to do that.
"He will continue to have the support of his solicitor who will give assistance in court. Mr Sheridan has asked for more time to prepare his own defence and I consider that to be a reasonable request."
Speaking outside the court, Anwar said: "I can confirm that Tommy Sheridan today withdrew instructions from counsel and will be representing himself. He will continue to be assisted by his solicitors. As proceedings are live, there can be no further comment from Mr Sheridan."
Over the last five days of evidence, a series of SSP officials have told the jury that Sheridan confessed to attending a swingers club at a party meeting in 2004, and admitted to other friends that he had group sex in a Glasgow hotel.
On Thursday and Friday, the jury saw long excerpts from a secretly recorded and expletive-laden video in which Sheridan is allegedly heard admitting that he made confessions at the SSP meeting
