The jury of six men and five women have heard claims of group sex, swingers clubs and drug taking.

Mr Sheridan said: “Regardless of today’s verdict, I am one of the most fortunate men in the world.”

Arriving at the Court of Session in Edinburgh, he said: “I have such a beautiful and loyal wife and such a beautiful and loyal family.”

Closing speeches in the five-week, 200,000 case at the Court of Session have taken place this week.

The former Scottish Socialist Party leader denies the claims which the paper said were “substantially” true.

Mr Sheridan is suing the News of the World over allegations that he visited a sex club, committed adultery and in orgies.

‘Life and reputation’

During the case, MSPs, journalists and former have been among the witnesses called to give evidence.

Mr Sheridan sacked his legal team early in the action and has been conducting his own case ever since.

The judge, Lord Turnbull, finished directing the jury on Friday morning.

In summing up, Mr Sheridan had challenged the jury to consider why he would risk his “life and reputation” by behaving in the way the Sunday tabloid alleged.

It is essential that when you analyse the evidence and consider your verdict, that you put out of your mind any view you may have held about Mr Sheridan Lord Turnbull

He attacked the paper and suggested the accusations had come from a combination of financial and political infighting.

The QC for the News of the World, Michael Jones, defended the integrity of the witnesses and questioned whether 18 people unconnected to the paper could have stood in the witness box and lied under oath.

Mr Jones said history was littered with “political corpses” brought down by their own recklessness.

In beginning his direction to the jury on Thursday, Lord Turnbull stressed their decision must not be influenced by emotion, bias, their personal views or the extensive media coverage the case has attracted.

Some of the claims centred around the Cupids club in Manchester

He told the jurors: “It is essential that when you analyse the evidence and consider your verdict, that you put out of your mind any view you may have held about Mr Sheridan.”

The judge also acknowledged the News Of The World was a newspaper about which some people hold strong views.

He said: “I am not aware of ever having bought or read a single copy of the News Of The World but I am not in any position whatsoever to judge its standards.”

From the articles that have been put before the court during the case, Lord Turnbull said the newspaper appeared to specialise in “human interest features”.

Again, he stressed it was vital for the jury to put their own views about the Sunday newspaper to one side and focus on the evidence.

Key questions

Lord Turnbull also told the jury that in a civil case the burden of proof was the balance of probabilities.

This is different from criminal cases where allegations have to be proved beyond reasonable doubt, he said.

The judge also said corroboration, which applies in criminal cases, does not apply in civil cases.

The jury were reminded that the four issues they had to consider were whether Mr Sheridan committed adultery, whether he was a swinger, whether he took part in orgies and whether the teetotal politician drank champagne.

Lord Turnbull said: “They are defamatory because they mean he was a hypocrite and an abuser of his position of power as a party leader.”

The jury then retired to consider its verdict.

A third member of the paedophile ring failed to turn up at the High Court in Edinburgh and a warrant has now been issued for his arrest.

Morris Petch, 50, was convicted on Thursday of raping the girls but failed to appear on Friday.

Caroline Dunsmore, 43, and John O’Flaherty, 50, both pleaded guilty to abuse against one of the girls earlier.

Lord Malcolm had been due to consider sentencing all three as soon as Petch’s trial was finished but on Friday he called for background reports on Dunsmore and O’Flaherty.

However, in spite of warning both that they faced almost certain jail sentences, the judge let them go on bail.

We have been subjected to horrific sexual, physical, sadistic abuse run by the King family in the Pilton area Victim

After Petch failed to show up by 1200 BST, Lord Malcolm issued a warrant for his arrest.

Advocate depute Iain McSporran, , described how - from a very early age - one of the girls fell victim to the ring.

Being raped became “a way of life” he said, and the abuse was “extraordinary”. Offences took place at a caravan in Perthshire on a night in 1990 and for several years before at a house in Edinburgh.

The court heard the older girl was abused from the age of six. She told police how her torment started when ex-husband, Billy King, who has since died, ordered her to perform a sexual act on him.

The same happened during group sex sessions, the court heard.

“During the course of the rapes (the girl) cried out: ‘It’s hurting’ and cried for the men to stop. They did not,” the court was told.

Paedophile ring

Mr McSporran said when O’Flaherty was questioned by police he initially denied all the allegations but eventually admitted he had sex with the girl about 12 times and also admitted he knew other men were having sex with her.

The years of abuse were by King with the help of his wife, Dunsmore. Petch and O’Flaherty were friends of King.

Mr McSporran also said that others may yet face charges as a result of ongoing police investigations into what the girls told them.

After the court hearing the older victim, now 26-years-old, said: “We have been subjected to horrific sexual, physical, sadistic abuse run by the King family in the Pilton area. This was a paedophile ring.”

Dunsmore also pleaded guilty to three other charges of rape and indecency involving the same child - allowing her ex-husband to have sex with the girl.

The allegations she admitted included having sexual intercourse in front of the girl.

Carol Croydon, 37, allegedly stabbed her husband Philip 22 times before tying him up and leaving him naked on the bedroom floor of a hotel.

She later told police her husband had invited her to a swingers party and she had left him with another couple.

Mrs Croydon denies murdering her husband at the Hilton Hotel at East Midlands Airport on 25 April last year.

Nottingham Crown Court was told on Wednesday that Mr Croydon had arranged to meet his wife at the Leicestershire hotel to boost their “flagging” marriage.

The two of them had intercourse together on the sofa in the living room Timothy Spencer, QC

The couple, who lived in Paddock Close, , Nottinghamshire, were both having affairs at the time of the meeting but neither knew of the other’s indiscretions, said Timothy Spencer QC, prosecuting.

Earlier in the day Mrs Croydon had booked a room for her lover Nelson Bland at the nearby Travel Inn.

She was said to have had “murder in mind” when she left home that morning, taking with her several men’s ties and a scarf.

A four-inch cheese knife used in boardroom meetings at her workplace, Blue 8, near Sandiacre, Derbyshire had also disappeared, the court heard.

Found by maid

Less than an hour after Mr Croydon arrived at the hotel, she had stabbed him to death and trussed him up with the ties and scarf to disguise the killing as a
kinky bondage session, Mr Spencer said.

Later that night her lover visited her home, the prosecution said.

Mr Spencer told the court: “The two of them had intercourse together on the sofa in the living room.

“The stark reality is that within eight hours of stabbing her husband to death this defendant was having sexual intercourse with her lover.”

Mr Croydon’s body was at about 0900 GMT the following day by a hotel maid.

Group sex

Mrs Croydon then concocted a story about a couple called Brian and Linda who they had group sex with, said Mr Spencer.

She told police she had gone to room 328 and another couple called Brian and Linda were there for group sex.

Mrs Croydon said she had sex with Brian while Linda performed a sex act on her husband, the court heard.

She then said she lost her nerve and left the room after changing her clothes.

The trial continues.

The Court of Session in Edinburgh heard the claim during the Scottish Socialist MSP’s defamation action.

Paul Holleran, Scottish organiser of the National Union of Journalists, told jurors Anvar Khan had been put under pressure by the News of the World.

Mr Sheridan claims a series of articles about his sex life were untrue.

Signed affidavit

Mr Holleran, 50, said he was contacted by Miss Khan in October or November 2004 as she wanted advice on a contractual problem she was having with the News of the World, for which she was a columnist.

He said: “She was concerned that her contract was not going to be renewed unless she co-operated with the demands of the editor and signed an affidavit.”

The witness said the man in question was Bob Bird, editor of the newspaper’s Scottish edition.

Mr Holleran told the court Miss Khan did not want anything to do with the affidavit and could not see why it should affect her contract.

Mr Sheridan asked if Miss Khan had been placed under pressure to sign a legal document.

The witness replied: “Yes.”

Anvar Khan claimed to have an affair with Mr Sheridan

Under cross-examination by Michael Jones QC, for the News of the World, Mr Holleran was questioned about the editors’ Code of Practice, which regulates the Press.

He asked the witness if it was in the public interest to expose a politician, who was a leader of a mainstream party, who was guilty of hypocrisy.

Mr Holleran replied: “That would be.”

Mr Jones later asked if Mr Holleran had asked Miss Khan’s permission to give details about their confidential meetings.

Mr Holleran said: “I did not feel I had to.”

Tabloid rival

Later the court heard that a story about Mr Sheridan having group sex in a hotel suite was offered to the Mail on Sunday after the women who made the claims had signed a 14,000 contract with the News of the World.

The Mail on Sunday’s Scottish news editor said he had been contacted by a lawyer acting on behalf of Helen Allison and Anne Colvin, two months after the Glasgow MSP resigned as leader of the Scottish Socialist Party.

Jamie Macaskill said the solicitor had mentioned money the first time she called the Mail on Sunday and claimed its tabloid rival had offered her clients 20,000.

Actor Peter Mullan lent his support to Mr Sheridan and his wife

But after further inquiries Mr Macaskill and his editor decided to abandon the story when they agreed it would not provide “good value for money”.

The jury previously heard Mrs Colvin, 54, contacted the News of the World in November 2004 after it printed an article which accused Mr Sheridan of having a four-year affair with former prostitute Fiona McGuire.

Both she and her friend, Ms Allison, 52, were later paid an advance of 1,000 each for their story and promised a further 6,000 when it was published.

But Mrs Colvin said broke down after the pair did not want their names and pictures to appear in the tabloid.

Day 17 of the civil action also had a touch of celebrity as actor Peter Mullan arrived in court for part of the morning session to lend his support to Mr Sheridan.

The star of My Name Is Joe and Young Adam left the court building at lunchtime, wearing a t-shirt and jeans, with his arm around Mr Sheridan, who was by his wife, Gail.

The trial continues.

The singer must serve 15 days in prison after he consistently swore during a concert in St Thomas, Jamaica, in January despite warnings by police.

He was charged under a law which indecent dress or expression.

Sizzla’s five-date UK tour was cancelled last November after protests by gay rights campaigners.

Dancehall star

Sizzla, whose real name is Miguel Collins, has released 25 albums since 1995 and is credited with taking dancehall music back to its reggae origins.

Many Jamaican entertainers have appeared before the courts for use of profanity in recent years but they usually receive a verbal warning, a sentence or community service.

Sizzla’s UK tour was cancelled after Scotland Yard’s Racial and Violent Crime taskforce it was lyrics by eight reggae artists. It would not confirm that Sizzla was among them.

One of his most controversial songs, Pump Up, contains the Jamaican patois lyrics “fire fi di man dem weh go ride man behind”, translated by gay rights group OutRage! as “burn the men who have sex with men”.

The singer must serve 15 days in prison after he swore during a concert in St Thomas, Jamaica, in January despite warnings by police.

He was charged under a law which prohibits indecent dress or expression.

Sizzla’s UK tour was cancelled last November after protests by gay rights campaigners.

Dancehall star

Sizzla, whose real name is Miguel Collins, has released 25 albums since 1995 and is credited with taking dancehall music back to its reggae origins.

Many Jamaican have appeared before the courts for use of profanity in recent years but they usually receive a verbal warning, a suspended sentence or community service.

Sizzla’s UK tour was cancelled after Scotland Yard’s Racial and Violent Crime taskforce announced it was examining lyrics by eight reggae artists. It would not confirm that Sizzla was among them.

One of his most controversial songs, Pump Up, contains the Jamaican patois lyrics “fire fi di man dem weh go ride man behind”, by gay rights group OutRage! as “burn the men who have sex with men”.