Salmond tells of ‘evidence’ ahead as jury clears him of sex charges
EVIDENCE THAT was not able to be heard in court will “see the light of day”, the former first minister of Scotland Alex Salmond has claimed after he was acquitted of 13 sexual offences, including attempted rape.
He has been cleared of all charges by a jury following an 11day trial at the High Court in Edinburgh.
The jury, which took more than five hours to reach its decision, returned not guilty verdicts on 12 charges and returned a not proven verdict on a charge of sexual assault with intent to rape.
Speaking outside court, Mr Salmond said: “Just over a year ago when we finished civil action, judicial review, I said I had great faith in the courts system of Scotland – that faith has been much reinforced today.”
He added: “There is certain evidence that I would have liked to have seen led in this trial but for a variety of reasons we were not able to do so.
“Those facts will see the light but it won’t be this day.”
Mr Salmond, before entering politics, worked as an economist both for the Government and in the banking sector.
To many, he is synonymous with the Scottish National Party (SNP), taking its followers closer than ever to their longheld dream of independence as a charismatic leader.
Mr Salmond led his party to an emphatic win in the 2011 Scottish Parliament election, enabling the formation of a majority Government and paving the way for the 2014 Scottish independence referendum.
But the result, with 55 per cent voting to remain in the UK, led to his resignation with deputy Nicola Sturgeon taking the helm as SNP leader and First Minister.
He resigned from the SNP in August 2018, days after sexual harassment allegations against him were first made public, saying he wanted to avoid divisions in the party.
The former first minister won a civil case in January 2019 over how the sexual harassment allegations were dealt with by the Scottish Government.
Now Mr Salmond has been found not guilty of 12 sexual offence charges by a majority – including an attempted rape.
The jury returned a not proven verdict by majority after Mr Salmond
was accused of sexually assaulting a woman with intent to rape on an occasion in December 2013 at Bute House, Edinburgh.
A not proven verdict has the same legal effect as an acquittal in the Scottish court system.
He was also found not guilty of sexually assaulting the same woman, known as Woman F, on an occasion between November and December 2013.
Two jurors were discharged from the trial yesterday, bringing the number to five men and eight women.
A charge that had originally been on the indictment was dropped earlier in the trial.
Mr Salmond thanked those who have sent him messages, his “brilliant” legal team and the court service, who he said have been “courteous beyond limit”.
He had denied all the charges and giving evidence claimed some were “deliberate fabrications for a political purpose”.
Speaking outside the court yesterday, he said: “I’d like to thank my friends and family for standing by me over the last two years.”
He also thanked those who have sent him messages over the course of the trial, his “brilliant” legal team and the court service who he said have been “courteous beyond limit”.
The 65-year-old was first arrested and charged by Police Scotland in relation to the allegations in January 2019.
Those facts will see the light of day – but it won’t be this day
Alex Salmond, former first minister of Scotland