THE deputy leader of the Scottish Labour Party has been cleared of using his mobile phone while driving.

MP Anas Sarwar, 30, was alleged to have been spotted driving along Scotland Street, in Glasgow, holding his phone up to his ear.

Officers claimed they saw him while driving towards him on January 17, this year.

Sarwar, of Pollokshields, Glasgow, denied the allegation and told Glasgow's Justice of the Peace Court his phone rang and that he pulled into a lay by before answering it.

The court heard from PC Elaine Turner who was in a police van with two colleagues at the time of the alleged incident.

PC Turner claimed she saw Sarwar driving his car towards their van.

Asked if she noticed anything about the driver she said: "He had a mobile phone at his right ear."

The constable they turned the van around and went to speak to Sarwar, who had pulled into a lay by.

In evidence Sarwar told the court that he didn't answer the phone until he had pulled over.

J P John Lawless ruled that there was an "insufficiency of corroborative evidence" and returned a not proven verdict.