Accusation of being ‘cheerleaded’ denied

Woman H said she did not want her experiences to become public – and insisted she had not been “cheerleaded” into speaking out.

Messages read by advocate depute Alex Prentice revealed she approached SNP officials about the attacks in November 2017, telling staff they would be able to “guess” who the sexual misconduct allegations were about.

The woman explained she had been “cautious” about reporting her experiences and wanted to understand the complaints process and feel “secure” while remaining anonymous.

She said: “I was trying to figure out what support the party had in place in the context of the MeToo movement and what happened to me.

“We had subsequent conversations but I didn’t go into any of the details.

“I was still coming to terms with what happened to me.

“I just knew I was struggling with the fact that I didn’t want what happened to me to happen to anybody else who worked with him.”

Woman H eventually spoke to police

“I was trying to figure out what support the party had in place in the context of the MeToo movement and what happened to me. WOMAN H

in September 2018 before a second interview in May 2019.

However, during cross-examination, defence counsel Shelagh McCall revealed she also communicated with other alleged victims from the 14 charges Salmond faces.

A text message sent by another complainer, who is known as Woman J, to Woman H in August 2018 explained she was “mulling over the AS stuff”.

A reply from Woman H said: “I am mulling too, but I have a plan, and means we can be anonymous, but see strong repercussions.”

Mrs McCall asked: “What was the plan?”

Woman H replied: “It was to speak to the party (SNP) lawyer. It was a process for me. I decided at that point to speak to police and I had decided what I would do for myself.”

Ms McCall revealed Woman H contacted SNP officials the day after Aberdeen Donside MSP Mark McDonald resigned as a Scottish Government minister, suggesting the alleged victim suspected Salmond may have been considering standing in a by-election to replace him.

However, Woman H said she had not “linked” Mr McDonald’s resignation with the alleged incident in Bute House.

The court was shown text messages which she sent to an official, who arranged a meeting and gave her assurances the matter would remain confidential.

She said: “I really didn’t want it public. I just wanted it internally recorded.”

Woman H also said she had been in contact with another woman who was allegedly abused by Salmond, who can only be identified as Woman A.

When Ms McCall asked her if Woman A asked her to contact the police, Woman H said she acted on her own initiative.

She added: “There’s no-one cheerleading me to do this. I’ve done this off my own bat. This is not fun.”

Salmond, from Strichen, Aberdeenshire, denies 14 charges of offences against 10 women.

He has lodged a special defence of alibi for the alleged incident in May 2014.

His trial, which is expected to last for four weeks before Lady Dorrian, continues.