March 2020. Former First Minister Alex Salmond has gone on trial accused of a string of sexual assaults and attempted rape. The trial, in front of Lady Dorrian, began at the High Court in Edinburgh on Monday. The 15-strong jury, comprised of nine women and six men, heard evidence from an alleged victim – who we can only identify as Woman H – who said she felt like she had been “hunted down” by Salmond. The witness alleges that on two occasions in the run-up to Scotland’s referendum on independence in 2014, Salmond “pounced” on her, touching her “inappropriately” in a room in Bute House – the First Minister’s official residence. On the second occasion, she claims Salmond was drunk and attempted to rape her. Salmond, 65, of Strichen, Aberdeenshire, denies all 14 charges against him, having submitted a plea of not guilty. His counsel has launched the special defence of consent to a number of the charges (3,5,7,8) and an alibi of not being in the location the alleged offence took place in charge 11.
Mar 2020. The Alex Salmond Trial Day 1
