Accuser wasn’t there on night of ‘rape bid’, witness tells Salmond trial
A FORMER government official who has accused Alex Salmond of attempting to rape her at Bute House was not present on the night of the alleged assault, a court heard yesterday.
The woman, known as Ms H, has claimed the incident happened at the First Minister’s residence, following a dinner with an actor in 2014.
Yesterday, businesswoman Samantha Barber said she was at the event with Salmond and the actor.
Salmond denies the attempted rape, saying the woman was not at Bute House in Edinburgh on the night in question. He has said he had a ‘consensual sexual liaison’ with Ms H the previous year.
The former First Minister, 65, is accused of a total of 13 alleged sexual offences against nine women, all of which he denies.
Ms Barber, 50, was speaking at the High Court in Edinburgh.
When advocate depute Alex Prentice, QC, suggested Ms H had been at the dinner, the witness replied: ‘I understand the police put that to me and I absolutely have no recollection of seeing [her] on that night.’
It was also heard the complainer said it ‘would be great’ to work with Salmond again, a year after she alleges he attempted to rape her. Jurors were shown a text message exchange between Ms H and former Nationalist MP Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh.
Part of one message sent by the complainer in June 2015 – a year after the alleged attempted rape – read: ‘Would be great to be working with him again.’
The court also heard from Salmond’s former principal private secretary, who held the post between 2009 and 2012.
Karen Watt said he had been a politician ‘at the top of his game’, adding: ‘I have described my time working with him as a privilege and a penance.
‘It was very exacting, very fastpaced, also very tough, you needed to be quite resilient. He could be very demanding, he would expect people to be on their mark, on top of their game.
‘He could be quite fierce if things weren’t as they should be.’
Geoff Aberdein, 37, Salmond’s first chief of staff, said it was ‘not a normal job’ but told the court it was ‘one of the best experiences of [his] life’.
Mr Aberdein said he was not a yes man and ‘gave as good as I got’. He was asked about Ms F, who was allegedly sexually assaulted by Salmond. The former First Minister is said to have caused her to sit on a bed, repeatedly kissed her face, and touched her buttocks, thighs and breasts.
The court has heard Salmond later apologised to her after the pair ‘lapsed’ into what he described as a ‘sleepy cuddle’, but he denies sexual intent.
Mr Aberdein said he had been told about what happened by a colleague.
He said he was unaware of any sexual misconduct complaints prior to this.
Salmond is on trial over accusations of sexual assault, including the alleged attempted rape, spanning a period between June 2008 and November 2014.
His lawyers previously lodged special defences of consent and alibi. Consent was given as a defence for three alleged sexual assaults and an alleged indecent assault against three women.
The trial continues.
‘You needed to be quite resilient’