Staff were ‘frightened to work for Salmond’

ALEX Salmond’s staff were ‘frightened’ of him and stressed to the point where they suffered mental health problems, a court heard yesterday.

Former private secretary to the First Minister Christopher Birt, 37, said stress manifested itself ‘in all sorts of ways’, and some staff had stopped working for Salmond as a result.

Advocate depute Alex Prentice, QC, asked if people had learned to live with Salmond’s behaviour, and Mr Birt said: ‘It brought up levels of stress that led to mental ill health.’

He said there was ‘almost a kind of gallows humour and camaraderie in [Salmond’s] private office’. Asked if people were ‘frightened’ of the First Minister, Mr Birt said: ‘Yes.’

Mr Birt also told the court he would not have ‘trusted’ the civil service to handle ‘sensitive’ complaints made against Salmond.

The court heard Mr Birt was aware of issues with Salmond, but he did not trust procedures that were in place to handle them properly.

Gordon Jackson, QC, representing Salmond, said his client could be inappropriate and this came ‘with the territory’ of the position, which Mr Birt agreed with.

Mr Jackson put it to the witness there had never been ‘any thought’ about contacting police.

Mr Birt responded: ‘The culture built up over a number of years.

‘None of the women felt like they wanted to complain. We felt in a very difficult position where it was difficult for us to do anything further because the civil service had allowed this to build up over time.’

He added: ‘Frankly, I can’t speak for the women but I can speak for myself.

‘I would not have trusted the civil service procedures at that time to be able to handle such sensitive issues.’

Mr Birt is said to have raised concerns about Salmond with another Scottish Government worker, Joseph Griffin, who later gave evidence.

Mr Griffin, 47, claimed female civil servants were stopped from working at the First Minister’s official residence, Bute House, on their own with Salmond during the evening as a result of accusations made against him.

He said following one alleged incident with a woman member of staff, David Wilson, director of communities and ministerial support for the Scottish Government, was alerted.

Civil servant Michael McElhinney 54, told the court that a plan for single females not to work alone at Bute House was instigated.

Asked if these matters had been treated seriously, Mr McElhinney said: ‘Yes.’

Salmond is on trial over accusations of sexual assault, including an attempted rape, spanning the period of time between June 2008 and November 2014.

His lawyers previously lodged special defences of consent and alibi.

Consent was also given as a defence for three alleged sexual assaults and an alleged indecent assault. Salmond denies all charges.

The trial, before judge Lady Dorrian, continues.

‘Stress that led to mental ill health’