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| Alex Salmond trial witness 'scared' to come forward | Alex Salmond trial witness 'scared' to come forward |
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| A woman who has accused Alex Salmond of sexually assaulting her has told a court she was "scared" to come forward because he was a "powerful man". | A woman who has accused Alex Salmond of sexually assaulting her has told a court she was "scared" to come forward because he was a "powerful man". |
| She said she raised the allegations after getting "flashbacks" around the time of the #MeToo movement. | She said she raised the allegations after getting "flashbacks" around the time of the #MeToo movement. |
| The former Scottish government official, known as Woman H, was giving evidence, for a second day during Mr Salmond's trial. | The former Scottish government official, known as Woman H, was giving evidence, for a second day during Mr Salmond's trial. |
| Mr Salmond denies carrying out a total of 14 sexual assaults on 10 women. | Mr Salmond denies carrying out a total of 14 sexual assaults on 10 women. |
| He says he is innocent of all of the allegations against him, which are alleged to have happened while Mr Salmond was serving as Scotland's first minister and the leader of the SNP. | He says he is innocent of all of the allegations against him, which are alleged to have happened while Mr Salmond was serving as Scotland's first minister and the leader of the SNP. |
| The charges include allegations that Mr Salmond sexually assaulted Woman H at the first minister's official Bute House residence in Edinburgh in May 2014, and attempted to rape her at the same location a month later. | The charges include allegations that Mr Salmond sexually assaulted Woman H at the first minister's official Bute House residence in Edinburgh in May 2014, and attempted to rape her at the same location a month later. |
| On Monday, Woman H told the High Court in Edinburgh that she had felt "hunted" by Mr Salmond, who she claimed had "pounced on her" in June 2014, pulled her clothes off, pushed her onto a bed and then lay naked on top of her despite her protests. | On Monday, Woman H told the High Court in Edinburgh that she had felt "hunted" by Mr Salmond, who she claimed had "pounced on her" in June 2014, pulled her clothes off, pushed her onto a bed and then lay naked on top of her despite her protests. |
| Giving further evidence on Tuesday morning, she said she had emailed a colleague the following day to say she would not be attending a sporting event with the first minister. | Giving further evidence on Tuesday morning, she said she had emailed a colleague the following day to say she would not be attending a sporting event with the first minister. |
| The woman said she used an arm injury she had previously suffered as an excuse and did not mention the alleged attack because she was "still in shock" and had "just tried to pretend it didn't happen". | The woman said she used an arm injury she had previously suffered as an excuse and did not mention the alleged attack because she was "still in shock" and had "just tried to pretend it didn't happen". |
| She added: "I didn't communicate to anyone that I had been assaulted. I asked a friend and colleague if anything had ever happened to her because I was trying to figure out whether this was a one-off like a drunken mistake due to the pressure of the campaign and he (Mr Salmond) had just gone off the rails. | She added: "I didn't communicate to anyone that I had been assaulted. I asked a friend and colleague if anything had ever happened to her because I was trying to figure out whether this was a one-off like a drunken mistake due to the pressure of the campaign and he (Mr Salmond) had just gone off the rails. |
| "I was trying to make sense of what on earth had happened. I didn't go into the details of it." | "I was trying to make sense of what on earth had happened. I didn't go into the details of it." |
| Woman H went on to say she had told her husband while they were on holiday together some time later that she was considering speaking to SNP headquarters about some "bad things" involving Mr Salmond that had happened to her during the independence referendum campaign, but had not gone into any detail. | Woman H went on to say she had told her husband while they were on holiday together some time later that she was considering speaking to SNP headquarters about some "bad things" involving Mr Salmond that had happened to her during the independence referendum campaign, but had not gone into any detail. |
| She said: "I was trying to work out if there was a process in the party because I was confused and scared and wanted to be secure about talking to anyone before I did so. | |
| "The first minister was a very powerful man and I didn't want to get on the wrong side of him." | "The first minister was a very powerful man and I didn't want to get on the wrong side of him." |
| Woman H said she started having "flashbacks" around the time of the #MeToo movement and the Harvey Weinstein case, and that she believed the SNP was starting to look out for cases of sexual harassment so the party could take action. | Woman H said she started having "flashbacks" around the time of the #MeToo movement and the Harvey Weinstein case, and that she believed the SNP was starting to look out for cases of sexual harassment so the party could take action. |
| She said: "These issues started to be discussed and I started to have what I could describe as flashbacks. I started to come to the realisation at the October/November 2017 period". | |
| "I thought I would call a staff member at SNP HQ who had been dealing with these issues, Ian McCann. I might have texted him first." | |
| The court was shown texts sent to Mr McCann, where he arranged a meeting and gave assurances that the processes would be confidential. | The court was shown texts sent to Mr McCann, where he arranged a meeting and gave assurances that the processes would be confidential. |
| She said the first time she told the full story was when she spoke to Police Scotland. | She said the first time she told the full story was when she spoke to Police Scotland. |
| Mr Salmond says he is innocent of all of the allegations against him, and has entered not guilty pleas to all 14 charges. | Mr Salmond says he is innocent of all of the allegations against him, and has entered not guilty pleas to all 14 charges. |