Civil service ‘couldn’t be trusted over complaints against Salmond’, court hears

A SCOTTISH Government worker has told a court he would not have “trusted” the civil service to handle “sensitive” complaints made against Alex Salmond.

Civil servant Christopher Birt told the High Court in Edinburgh there was a “culture” built up over a number of years and he had been “frightened” of the former first minister of Scotland.

His comments came after the court heard from an alleged victim who said Salmond grabbed her and it felt like “wrestling with an octopus”.

Salmond, 65, faces 13 charges of alleged offences against nine women, all of which he denies. He was formally acquitted of a charge of sexual assault after the Crown offered no evidence, reducing the total from 14 charges against 10 women.

It was 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. The 37-year-old 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: “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.

The 47-year-old claimed female civil servants were stopped from working at the first minister’s official residence as a result of accusations made against him.

The trial, before judge Lady Dorrian, continues.