Ex-Cameron Aide Detained Over Alleged Perjury

The former top media adviser to UK Prime Minister David Cameron was detained today on suspicion of perjury in the trial of a flamboyant ex-Scottish lawmaker—the latest case tied to allegations of wrongdoing by British tabloid newspapers. Andy Coulson, 44, was detained by Scottish police at his home in London over an accusation related to a high-profile case at Glasgow's High Court, when politician Tommy Sheridan was himself convicted of offering a false account after he successfully sued the now-defunct News of the World tabloid over its claim that he was embroiled in a sex-and-drugs scandal.

Coulson was editor of the tabloid when stories about Sheridan were published, and gave evidence in a 2010 trial that saw the Scottish legislator jailed for three years after a jury ruled he had committed perjury when he sued the newspaper. The police department says the case is tied to Operation Rubicon, a Scottish police investigation into allegations of phone hacking, breaches of data protection, and perjury by newspapers. Those inquiries are running separately to major investigations by London police into newspaper malpractice. Coulson was arrested last year by London police in their investigation into phone hacking and is currently on police bail. (More Andy Coulson stories.)