The former Scottish Prime Minister Alexander Salmond has to answer for sexual assault in court. He is accused in two cases of attempted rape. In addition, there were several cases of sexual assault, said the Scottish Attorney General. There are 14 charges in all.
By his own admission Salmond had been arrested on Wednesday. On Thursday afternoon he had to attend a court hearing in Edinburgh. For a bail, the 64-year-old was released. Outside the courthouse, Salmond called himself innocent. He will defend himself to the utmost.
Salmond previously called allegations "obvious ridicule"
Salmond is considered a champion of Scottish independence. He was head of the regional government of Scotland from 2007 to 2014. After the failed independence referendum in the British part of the country, he resigned from his post.
The allegations against Salmond became known in August last year. He then gave up his membership in the Scottish National Party (SNP). He felt treated unfairly, calling the allegations "patently ridiculous" and the investigation unfair. The government of the current Scottish Prime Minister Nicola Sturgeon of the SNP had turned on the police after an internal investigation.
According to the British media, the victims are supposed to be employees during his term of office. According to Scottish media reports, Salmond was said to have become sexually aggressive in 2013 as prime minister, among other things in his residence.