PROSECUTORS have decided not to launch criminal proceedings against a juror in the Tommy Sheridan perjury trial who posted comments about the case on Facebook.

The Crown Office has said no action will be taken on account of the "available evidence".

Sheridan, co-convener of the socialist party Solidarity, was found guilty in December 2010 of telling lies during a previous civil case against the publisher of the now-defunct News Of The World newspaper.

A jury ruled he had perjured himself in relation to evidence about his attendance at a swingers' club in Manchester.

The former Glasgow MSP was sentenced to three years by Lord Bracadale but was released after serving around 12 months.

However, prior to his sentencing, the Sunday Herald revealed that a female juror had posted comments about the case on social media.

The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, stated on Facebook: "Hi tommy i was one off youre jurers (sic)."

She described fellow jurors as "dirty low life b******s" for finding Sheridan guilty, adding that she hoped her colleagues "choke in their f***in sleep, scum bags they are".

She continued: "Hubby is 1000% behind you and so am i dawl ok i really think strong for you dawl and youre going to appeal against these idiots."

The juror also described where she sat in court and said "please please tommy get back to me or tell gail too do it let me know how you are ok pal take care".

Under Section 8 of the Contempt of Court Act 1981, it is an offence to "disclose or solicit any particulars of statements made, opinions expressed, arguments advanced or votes cast by members of a jury in the course of their deliberations in any legal proceedings". Breaking this law can carry a custodial sentence.

However, although the revelations prompted a police investigation, no action will be taken against the juror. The Crown Office had considered the case for nearly two years.

In 2011, a juror in England who pled guilty to contempt of court after exchanging Facebook messages with the defendant was jailed for eight months.

Joanne Fraill, from Manchester, also admitted at London's High Court that she had conducted internet research into a co-defendant.

Last year, another juror on an assault case was jailed after she researched a defendant's past and shared the information with her fellow jurors.

David McKie, a leading Scots lawyer, said at the time of the Sunday Herald's revelations: "Twenty years ago, if you were a juror and you wanted to find out information about the person in the dock, you would need to go to the library to look at the archived pages of newspapers to find out about them. These days you can Google somebody and quickly locate archive footage or find out details about their past.

"Judges as a matter of routine now have to insist that the jury concentrates only on the evidence in front of them and to ignore and not research extraneous material available to them."

Sheridan has said he intends to appeal his conviction.

A Crown Office spokesman said: "After a full and thorough investigation by Strathclyde Police, the results of which have been shared with the procurator fiscal, it has been concluded, on the available evidence, that there will be no criminal proceedings."