		<div class="wpcnt">
			<div class="wpa">
				<span class="wpa-about">Advertisements</span>
				<div class="u top_amp">
							<amp-ad width="300" height="265"
		 type="pubmine"
		 data-siteid="111265417"
		 data-section="2">
		</amp-ad>
				</div>
			</div>
		</div><p>Alex Salmond has pleaded not guilty to attempting to rape a woman at Bute House, the official residence of the first minister of Scotland, during the independence referendum campaign.</p>
<p><!--Ads1--></p>
<p>The 64-year-old appeared at the High Court in Edinburgh on Thursday to face allegations of offences against 10 women.</p>
<p>They include a charge of attempted rape, 11 of sexual assault – including one with intent to rape – and two of indecent assault.</p>
<p>The charges span a period between June 29 2008 and November 11 2014, with one sexual assault said to have taken place in the month of the historic referendum.</p>
<p>Salmond attempted to rape a woman at Bute House in Edinburgh in June 2014, the indictment alleges.</p>
<p>It is said he placed her legs over his, repeatedly kissed her face and neck, groped her, then blocked her path.</p>
<p>Salmond is then said to have pinned her against a wall, pulled at her clothes and stripped himself naked before trying to rape her on a bed.</p>
<p>The former MP is also accused of sexually assaulting a woman with intent to rape in December 2013.</p>
<p>He is alleged to have forced a woman to lie on his bed at the first minister’s official residence then pulled up her dress with intent to rape her.</p>
<p>Both incidents were said to have taken place between the date of the Edinburgh Agreement in 2012 and the day of the independence vote in September 2014.</p>
<blockquote><p>The only proper place to answer criminal charges is in this court and that is exactly what I intend to do next spring</p></blockquote>
<p><!--Ads2--></p>
<p>Meanwhile, the first of the charges involved incidents where Salmond allegedly indecently assaulted a woman by kissing her mouth and groping her on various occasions around Glasgow between June 29 2008 and July 24 2008.</p>
<p>It is also alleged he sexually assaulted a woman on various occasions between May 2011 and June 2013 at the Scottish Parliament, Bute House and elsewhere by touching her bottom and stroking other parts of her body.</p>
<p>Salmond – who was Scotland’s first minister from 2007 to 2014 – is also accused of taking off a woman’s shoe and trying to kiss her foot in October 2013.</p>
<p>The indictment states that in September 2014, Salmond grabbed a woman by her shoulders at Bute House, repeatedly kissed her face, tried to kiss her lips and touched her leg and face.</p>
<p>Several charges involved the accused allegedly groping women, including one incident at the Ubiquitous Chip restaurant in Glasgow in March 2012.</p>
<p>Gordon Jackson QC, representing Salmond, said his client denied the allegations.</p>
<p>Judge Lady Dorrian continued the preliminary hearing until January 22 and set a trial date for March 9, which is expected to last four weeks.</p>
<p>Speaking outside court after the hearing, Mr Salmond said he would defend himself “vigorously” during the trial.</p>
<p>“The only proper place to answer criminal charges is in this court and that is exactly what I intend to do next spring,” he said.</p>
<p><!--Ads3--></p>
			<div style="padding-bottom:15px;" class="wordads-tag" data-slot-type="belowpost">
				<div id="atatags-dynamic-belowpost-68ecedd1e5fa6">
					<script type="text/javascript">
						window.getAdSnippetCallback = function () {
							if ( false === ( window.isWatlV1 ?? false ) ) {
								// Use Aditude scripts.
								window.tudeMappings = window.tudeMappings || [];
								window.tudeMappings.push( {
									divId: 'atatags-dynamic-belowpost-68ecedd1e5fa6',
									format: 'belowpost',
								} );
							}
						}

						if ( document.readyState === 'loading' ) {
							document.addEventListener( 'DOMContentLoaded', window.getAdSnippetCallback );
						} else {
							window.getAdSnippetCallback();
						}
					</script>
				</div>
			</div>
Discover more from London Glossy Post
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
