Former Scottish Socialist Party (SSP) leader Tommy Sheridan has been jailed for three years for perjury.
The disgraced politician was convicted last month of lying during his successful defamation action against the News of the World in 2006.
After a three-month trial at the High Court in Glasgow, the 46-year-old was found guilty of lying about the newspaper's claims that he was an adulterer who visited swingers' clubs.
Sheridan claimed he was the victim of a "vendetta" by the police and a "conspiracy" involving the News of the World and colleagues within the SSP.
But the High Court jury ultimately convicted him of five of six allegations in a single charge of perjury against him, relating to his evidence during the civil case.
Judge Lord Bracadale said: "By pursuing and continuing to pursue a defamation action, you brought the walls of the temple crashing down not only on your own head but also on your family and your political friends and foes.
"You committed perjury and you were awarded a very large sum in damages. The only appropriate sentence is one of imprisonment."
Outside the court, Tommy's wife Gail defended her husband. She said: "The real reason why he's been imprisoned today is because he has fought injustice and inequality with every beat of his heart. But it won't be long before Tommy is back stronger and continuing the fight."
Sheridan announced his intention to both appeal against his conviction and launch a legal action in relation to the phone hacking controversy.
He said in a statement read outside court by his solicitor, Aamer Anwar: "This multimillion-pound prosecution will separate me from my wife and child and that will be heartbreaking. But I will continue to fight a system that protects the real criminals - the rich and powerful."
