Police have launched an investigation into a new sexual assault allegation against Alex Salmond following his recent passing. The complaint was made by a woman to Police Scotland after the former first minister died last month while attending a conference in North Macedonia.
Furthermore, it has been revealed that a group of five or six women had reported concerns about Salmond’s alleged behavior to SNP bosses back in 2022, although no action was taken as he was no longer a party member at the time. This comes two years after Salmond was acquitted of previous sexual assault allegations.
The complaints made by the group to the SNP were of a sexual nature, with claims that they were brought to the attention of Ian McCann, the party’s compliance officer, and Peter Murrell, the then-chief executive. One of the incidents involved a female politician alleging that she was groped by Salmond during a photoshoot.
Despite the lack of action taken by the party due to Salmond’s non-membership status, Police Scotland has confirmed receiving a complaint from one woman. There are expectations that more women may come forward with similar allegations, dating back as far as 40 years. It is reported that individuals close to Salmond had warned young females within the party to avoid being alone with him.
Salmond was acquitted in 2020 of various charges including attempted rape, sexual assault, and indecent assault. A source disclosed that before the trial, a female politician had accused Salmond of groping her during a photoshoot but chose not to involve the police to avoid prejudicing the trial.
In response to the latest allegation, Salmond’s solicitor was approached for comment. Police Scotland stated that they are assessing the information regarding the non-recent sexual assault report. The SNP is bracing itself for potential additional claims by women who may have been affected by Salmond’s alleged misconduct.
Salmond’s legal team is yet to respond to the latest development, as investigations into the matter continue.