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| Alex Salmond accused of sexual assaults on 10 women | Alex Salmond accused of sexual assaults on 10 women |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Alex Salmond has appeared in court charged with carrying out a series of sexual offences against 10 women while serving as Scotland's first minister. | Alex Salmond has appeared in court charged with carrying out a series of sexual offences against 10 women while serving as Scotland's first minister. |
| Mr Salmond faced a total of 14 charges at the High Court in Edinburgh. | Mr Salmond faced a total of 14 charges at the High Court in Edinburgh. |
| He denies all the allegations, which include one attempted rape, one intent to rape, 10 sexual assaults and two indecent assaults. | He denies all the allegations, which include one attempted rape, one intent to rape, 10 sexual assaults and two indecent assaults. |
| The offences are alleged to have happened between June 2008 and November 2014. | The offences are alleged to have happened between June 2008 and November 2014. |
| His QC, Gordon Jackson, said Mr Salmond was pleading not guilty, and judge Lady Dorrian set the trial date for 9 March next year. | |
| The trial is expected to last about four weeks. | |
| Mr Salmond served as first minister between 16 May 2007 and 20 November 2014. | |
| Speaking outside court after the brief hearing, Mr Salmond said he was innocent of the charges against him, and would defend himself "vigorously" during the trial. | |
| He added: "The only proper place to answer criminal charges is in this court, and that is exactly what I intend to do next spring." | |
| What is Mr Salmond accused of? | |
| The attempted rape is said to have happened in June 2014 at the first minister's official Bute House residence in Edinburgh. He is alleged to have pushed a woman against a wall and to have removed her clothes and his own, before pushing her onto a bed and lying naked on top of her. | The attempted rape is said to have happened in June 2014 at the first minister's official Bute House residence in Edinburgh. He is alleged to have pushed a woman against a wall and to have removed her clothes and his own, before pushing her onto a bed and lying naked on top of her. |
| The other 13 charges allege that the 64-year-old former SNP leader: | The other 13 charges allege that the 64-year-old former SNP leader: |
| Police began an investigation following a Scottish government inquiry into complaints of sexual harassment against Mr Salmond. | Police began an investigation following a Scottish government inquiry into complaints of sexual harassment against Mr Salmond. |
| Mr Salmond launched a judicial review against the government over how it had handled its inquiry, saying he had been treated unfairly. | Mr Salmond launched a judicial review against the government over how it had handled its inquiry, saying he had been treated unfairly. |
| The government later conceded its procedures had been flawed and paid out more than £500,000 in Mr Salmond's legal expenses. | The government later conceded its procedures had been flawed and paid out more than £500,000 in Mr Salmond's legal expenses. |
| Alex Salmond's political career | Alex Salmond's political career |