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| Alex Salmond to stand trial on sex offence charges | Alex Salmond to stand trial on sex offence charges |
| (about 8 hours later) | |
| Alex Salmond is to stand trial on allegations that he sexually assaulted 10 women while serving as Scotland's first minister. | Alex Salmond is to stand trial on allegations that he sexually assaulted 10 women while serving as Scotland's first minister. |
| The former SNP leader will face a total of 14 charges at the High Court in Edinburgh. | The former SNP leader will face a total of 14 charges at the High Court in Edinburgh. |
| They include allegations of 10 sexual assaults, two indecent assaults, one attempted rape and an assault with intent to rape. | They include allegations of 10 sexual assaults, two indecent assaults, one attempted rape and an assault with intent to rape. |
| Mr Salmond says he is innocent, and has pled not guilty to all of the charges. | Mr Salmond says he is innocent, and has pled not guilty to all of the charges. |
| He has vowed to defend himself vigorously during the trial, which will be held before judge Lady Dorrian and a jury of 15 members of the public. | |
| The trial is expected to last about four weeks. | The trial is expected to last about four weeks. |
| It is alleged that the offences were committed at various locations across Scotland, including the Scottish Parliament and the first minister's official Bute House residence in Edinburgh. | It is alleged that the offences were committed at various locations across Scotland, including the Scottish Parliament and the first minister's official Bute House residence in Edinburgh. |
| Mr Salmond, 65, was first minister of Scotland from May 2007 until November 2014, when he stood down in the wake of the country's independence referendum. | |
| What is Mr Salmond accused of? | What is Mr Salmond accused of? |
| The charges, which Mr Salmond denies, are set out in an indictment which includes the specific details of the allegations against the former SNP leader. | The charges, which Mr Salmond denies, are set out in an indictment which includes the specific details of the allegations against the former SNP leader. |
| As with all sexual offence cases in Scotland, the media is not allowed to publish the names of the 10 alleged victims or any other information that could identify them, unless they give permission. | As with all sexual offence cases in Scotland, the media is not allowed to publish the names of the 10 alleged victims or any other information that could identify them, unless they give permission. |
| The alleged 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 pinned 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 alleged 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 pinned 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 Mr Salmond: | The other 13 charges allege that Mr Salmond: |
| Mr Salmond says he is innocent of all the allegations against him, and has entered not guilty pleas to all 14 of the charges. | Mr Salmond says he is innocent of all the allegations against him, and has entered not guilty pleas to all 14 of the charges. |