Israeli PM's son pleads guilty to perjury

The trial follows a police investigation into allegations of illegal financing of Ariel Sharon's successful 1999 campaign for the leadership of his right-wing Likud party.

Although the sentence has yet to be decided, Omri's guilty plea will automatically mean that he has to step down as a Likud MP.

Israeli public radio's legal affairs commentator Mosheh Negbi said the false testimony charge carried a prison sentence of up to seven years and the forgery charge up to five.

Attorney general Menachem Mazuz decided to press charges against Omri Sharon in July but had to wait until a bill was passed limiting MPs' immunity against prosecution.