Salmond case police interview airport staff

●Officers probing misconduct claims investigate alleged incident from 2008

Fresh allegations against Alex Salmond are being investigated by police as part of a inquiry into accusations of sexual misconduct levelled at Scotland’s former First Minister, according to reports.

Officers interviewed workers at the airport last week after initial inquiries into complaints by two Scottish Government employees revealed new information.

The alleged incident is believed to have taken place at Edinburgh Airport in 2008, when Mr Salmond was First Minister.

But it was not included in the Scottish Government’s inquiry into sexual harassment claims against Mr Salmond, which initially sparked the police investigation.

Police scotland refused to comment on the latest reports, but Edinburgh Airport has confirmed it is helping officers with the investigation.

A spokesman for the airport said: “We can confirm that we are assisting Police Scotland with its inquiries. We cannot comment further at this time.”

Mr Salmond, who resigned from the SNP as a result of the investigation, continues to maintain his innocence.

He is also seeking a judicial review in Scotland’s highest civil court to challenge the way the Scottish Government handled claims against him in its internal investigation.

A spokesman for the 63-year-old said: “Mr Salmond denies all suggestions of misconduct at any time and suggests that everyone should allow police inquires to take their proper course without briefing or breaching their confidentiality.

“Alex has not been interviewed by the police about any matter. He is content to have his case against the Scottish Government stated in the Court of Session in January.”

The Daily Record revealed in

August that the Scottish Government had carried out a secret investigation into Mr Salmond’s conduct in the wake of complaints raised by two women in January.

One told investigators it took repeated requests to halt advances from Mr Salmond, who had been drinking, during an incident in his official bedroom at Bute House, Edinburgh, in December 2013.

She alleges multiple incidences of harassment and conduct of an unwanted sexual nature took place during the former leader’s time in office.

After being investigated by Scottish Government Permanent Secretary Leslie Evans for eight months, the complaints were passed to police.

When news of the inquiry broke, Mr Salmond admitted to having made “mistakes” but denied sexually harassing anyone.

He said: “I’ve made many mistakes in my life, political and personal, but I have not sexually harassed anyone and I certainly have not been engaged in criminality. I’m not a saint, I’ve got flaws, I understand that.”

A procedural hearing for Mr Salmond’s judicial review took place before judge Lord Pentland in the Court of Session last Tuesday, with the full case to be heard from 15 January.

Mr Salmond, who used a crowd-funding appeal to raise £100,000 to pay for his legal costs, did not appear in court for the hearing.