Alex Salmond faces second day of sexual assault trial
Alex Salmond will face more of his accusers in the second day of his sexual assault trial, after yesterday it was alleged he “pounced” on top of a woman and tried to rape her at the first minister’s residence.
The former Scottish first minister has today arrived at the Scottish High Court in Edinburgh, with the trial resuming shortly after 10am.
One complainant, known as Woman H, will take the stand first to continue her witness statement.
The former Scottish first minister stands accused of 11 charges of sexual assault, one charge of attempted rape, one charge of intent to rape and one charge of indecent assault.
Salmond denies all charges, most of which allegedly occurred while he was first minister, and has vowed to “vigorously” fight them.
Yesterday, the court heard from Woman H, who alleged that Salmond tried to rape her at Bute House – the official first minister residence.
The former Scottish government official claimed that Salmond stripped off her clothes and pushed her onto a bed, before getting naked himself.
She claimed that fighting him off was like the 1974 fight between “Ali and Foreman” and that the incident left her “frozen inside”.
She alleged that Salmond was “on top of me, aroused, his private parts on top of mine”.
She added: “I thought, ‘holy Christ’ I did not want to feel humiliated, I felt hunted down.”
She said Salmond was “a bit drunk” and that he eventually “passed out and started snoring”.
Salmond’s lawyer Gordon Jackson, QC, has cited consent as a defence for four of the charges.
However, Woman H disputed this claim.
She said: “He wasn’t remotely attractive.
“Why the hell would I want him to be involved with me?”
The complainant recalled another incident where she alleges that Salmond sexually assaulted her.
The former SNP staffer said she was often at Bute House for official gatherings and drinks events.
On one occasion she alleges that Salmond told her to sit with him on the floor so he could show her something on his mobile phone.
“He started groping me basically,” Woman H said.
“He was touching my legs, then his left hand moved up and he was touching my chest, and kissing my face and neck.”
She claimed that Salmond laughed at her when she protested.
The trial continues.