SALMOND FACES THIRD SEX CLAIM BOMBSHELL
Police quiz airport staff as they probe another misconduct allegation against ex-first minister
POLICE are investigating a third claim of sexual misconduct against former first minister Alex Salmond, it emerged last night.
Detectives have interviewed staff at Edinburgh Airport after a new allegation of inappropriate behaviour a decade ago came to light. The bombshell development comes weeks after Police Scotland launched an investigation into complaints by Scottish Government employees about the former politician.
Allegations about Mr Salmond first emerged in the summer, when it was revealed that two people had complained about his behaviour, dating back to his time as first minister.
Airport staff were interviewed last week after information came to light. It is understood that the allegation dates back to 2008.
Mr Salmond strongly denies all allegations of misconduct ‘at any time’ – and a source close to the former MP said he was ‘angry and concerned’ about the way the investigations had been carried out.
Last night, a spokesman for Edinburgh Airport said: ‘We can confirm that we’re assisting Police Scotland with its inquiries. We cannot comment further at this time.’
Police Scotland refused to comment, other than to confirm that inquiries continue.
Allegations made against Mr Salmond emerged at the end of August this year
when Scotland’s top civil servant confirmed that she had concluded an investigation into allegations by two staff members relating to Mr Salmond’s time in office.
Leslie Evans, the Scottish Government’s Permanent Secretary, had intended to make the findings public but was blocked by legal action from Mr Salmond.
A judicial review got under way last week in the Court of Session after the former MP challenged the way the Government had handled the complaint. It remains unclear why the Government opened an investigation into the claims in January, just weeks after Miss Sturgeon signed off a new policy for dealing with complaints.
After the allegations emerged in the summer, Mr Salmond said: ‘I have made many mistakes in my life, political and personal. But I have not sexually harassed anyone and I certainly have not been engaged in crimitially nality. I am no saint, I have got flaws, I understand that.’
Pressed on whether he denied the two allegations ‘totally and fully’, he said: ‘I deny that I harassed anyone and I explicitly refute any suggestion of criminality.’ Asked if the mistakes included sexual indiscretions, he said: ‘I’m not going to give you a list of the mistakes I think I have made.’
In a remarkable 40-minute press conference at a restaurant in his home town of Linlithgow, West Lothian, Mr Salmond said his wife Moira remained firmly behind him.
When asked if he regretted any behaviour towards women, he said: ‘As I said earlier on, and I will repeat; in my life I have made a number of mistakes, both political and personal. I shall keep them to myself.’
Mr Salmond said that he had ‘no animus’ with the former staff members as they ‘have a perfect right to complain’.
After Nicola Sturgeon revealed her distress at the situation, Mr Salmond said he had discussed the matter with her on three separate occasions. But he refused to say whether he had asked the First Minister to make sure the investigation was dropped.
He said: ‘I’m not going to say what the private conversation between myself and Nicola Sturgeon was, but Nicola wasn’t part of the process. Private conversations as far as I’m concerned are private conversations.’
The Scottish Government ini- investigated one of the complaints in 2013 but the issue was dealt with when he apologised to the woman involved for any ‘misunderstanding’.
At a procedural hearing at the Court of Session last week, it was confirmed that the case was investigated by Scottish Government officials five years ago.
Government lawyers said the 2013 investigation is not ‘relevant’ when considering whether Mr Salmond has been fairly treated in its probe earlier this year into sexual misconduct allegations.
But Ronnie Clancy, QC, representing Mr Salmond, told judge Lord Pentland that the Government had provided written confirmation that the investigation was conducted and concluded.
He said: ‘What we have got is averments which acknowledge that the issue was raised in some way and which acknowledge finality was achieved.’
Christine O’Neill, for the Government, said that ‘even if that issue was raised previously and dealt with’, it would not stop a separate formal complaint being
‘I have not sexually harassed anyone’
lodged at a later date. Referring to two affidavits obtained by Mr Salmond’s legal team supporting their claim that the matter had already been dealt with, she added: ‘There is a question to be addressed as to what relevance they have to the question of fairness.’
Lord Pentland responded that ‘the petitioner regards it as relevant and I can see that it is relevant’. The full judicial review will be heard at the Court of Session in January.
After the hearing, Mr Salmond said: ‘I am delighted we are going to get our opportunity to state our case in court in January.’
Asked about the confirmation that one complaint was investigated in 2013, he said: ‘I am making no other comment... We have four days of our hearing in January and I am very content that is where we will do our talking.’
Last night a spokesman for Mr Salmond, who has quit the SNP, said: ‘He denies all suggestions of misconduct at any time and suggests that everyone should allow police inquiries to take their proper course without briefing or breaching their confidentiality.
‘Alex has not been interviewed by the police about any matter. He is content to have his case against the Scottish Government stated in the Court of Session in January.’
‘Apologised to the woman’