Guest’s evidence
A GUEST at Bute House has said a former Scottish Government official was at a dinner there on the evening Alex Salmond is alleged to have tried to rape her.
Woman H has given evidence about two alleged incidents, including one charge that Salmond attempted to rape her in June 2014.
A recording of a police interview taken via Skype last year was played in the court yesterday.
In it, the guest claimed he’d met the complainer at the dinner. Under questioning from Detective Chief Inspector Graeme McLachlan, the man said the evening’s atmosphere was “jovial” and described the building as “musty”.
It was heard one bottle of wine was shared between a few people during the meal and no one was overly intoxicated.
The interview was carried out as part of Operation Diem, which looked into allegations against the former first minister.
A BUSINESSMAN who attended a number of dinners at Bute House described the relationship he observed between Alex Salmond and Woman H as “very friendly and comfortable”.
The man said he witnessed the woman and the former first minister in each other’s company in the 2013 and 2014 period.
He said: “Most times it was all
BY ALAN McEWEN quite relaxed. Friendly, I would say.”
Woman H has accused Salmond of twice sexually assaulting her in 2014 at Bute House.
Shelagh McCall QC, acting for Salmond, asked the businessman whether he ever noticed a change in how Woman H was in her client’s “personal space”.
The witness replied: “No.”