The move by the disgraced Scottish politician came as pressure continued to mount on David Cameron and his media chief, Andy Coulson, with Labour calling for the Metropolitan Police to reopen its probe into the phone hacking controversy, which, it said, was getting “closer and closer” to Downing Street.
Last night, Aamer Anwar, Sheridan’s solicitor, told The Herald he had been instructed by his client to begin legal proceedings for breach of privacy to find out how Glenn Mulcaire, the private investigator hired by the News of the World, was able to get the former Scottish Socialist Party leader’s personal details.
These, including Sheridan’s home address, mobile phone number and pin codes, were found in two of Mulcaire’s notebooks during a police raid four years ago at his Surrey home.
The documents came to light after Mr Anwar won a court order instructing Scotland Yard to release them. “Mr Sheridan wants to know who instructed the hacking, why wasn’t there a full and transparent investigation by the Metropolitan Police and why wasn’t he informed,” explained the solicitor.
“It wasn’t just one occasion; it’s two separate occasions. This won’t be an action for damages; it’s an action to find out what went on.”
He added: “It’s in the public interest to know exactly what’s been going on at the News of the World.”
Claims of phone hacking formed a key part in the ex-MSP’s perjury trial. Last month, the Solidarity leader was convicted of lying under oath about a series of articles published by the newspaper seven years ago. He is due to be sentenced later this month and is expected to be jailed for several years.
At Westminster, Labour’s Ed Balls called on the Metropolitan Police to reopen its probe into the phone hacking affair after the latest development – the suspension of Ian Edmondson, the News of the World assistant editor, by the paper, which Mr Coulson, 42, edited before he became the Prime Minister’s communications director last May.
Declaring “the truth will out”, the Shadow Home Secretary said: “I’m sure the police will be putting all the resources they need to make sure this is investigated.
“There has been discussion in recent months as to whether an independent review is going to be needed but, first of all, let’s allow the police to do their work. The assistant editor to Andy Coulson has now been suspended. Increasingly, it is getting closer and closer to the former editor.”
He added: “It does raise a very substantial question about Mr Cameron’s judgement.”
However, Scotland Yard made clear it had no plans to reopen its probe. Mr Edmondson was suspended by the News of the World following claims he asked Mulcaire to hack into the phone of actress Sienna Miller. While Labour suspects Mr Coulson knew of the phone hacking, he has always denied it.
In December, the Metropolitan Police “considered” allegations made by Sean Hoare, a former News of the World reporter, who, in a newspaper article, alleged Mr Coulson had approved illegal eavesdropping. However, Mr Hoare refused to comment under caution and the matter was closed.
Last month during Sheridan’s trial, Mr Coulson again denied any knowledge of phone hacking at his former newspaper. He told the High Court: “I don’t accept there was a culture of phone hacking at the News of the World. There was a very unfortunate, to put it mildly, case involving Clive Goodman. No-one was more sorry about it than me; that’s why I resigned.”
Goodman, the ex-royal editor, was jailed for four months after being found guilty of intercepting messages left on the phones of members of the royal household. Mulcaire was jailed for six months.
The News of the World insists it takes a “zero-tolerance approach to any wrongdoing” and that “appropriate action” will be taken if the claims about Mr Edmondson turn out to be true.
Last night, a Downing Street source told The Herald: “The PM continues to have 100% confidence in Andy Coulson.”
