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The trial of Alex Salmond, who denies sexually assaulting 10 women while serving as Scotland's first minister, has started.

The former SNP leader faces 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.

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, and has lodged special defences of consent to four of the charges, and a special defence of alibi to a further charge.

The first witness in the trial is known as Woman H. Mr Salmond is accused of sexually assaulting her and attempting to rape her.

The trial is being held before judge Lady Dorrian and a jury of 15 members of the public, which was selected on Monday morning.

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.

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:

Indecently assaulted a woman on a number of occasions in Glasgow in June and July 2008 by kissing her on the mouth and touching her buttocks and breasts with his hands over her clothing

Sexually assaulted the same woman in December 2010 or December 2011 in the Ego nightclub in Edinburgh by touching her arms and hips with his hands over her clothing

Indecently assaulted a woman in October or November 2010 at Bute House by repeatedly seizing her by the wrists and repeatedly pulling her towards him and attempting to kiss her

Sexually assaulted a woman in a car in Edinburgh in February 2011 by touching her leg with his hand over her clothing

Sexually assaulted a woman on various occasions between 2011 and 2013 at Bute House, the Scottish Parliament and other locations by touching her buttocks with his hands over her clothing, stroking her arms, and touching and stroking her hair

Sexually assaulted a woman at Bute House in October 2013 by removing her foot from her shoe, stroking her foot, lifting her foot towards his mouth and attempting to kiss her foot

Sexually assaulted a woman at Bute House in November or December 2013 by kissing her on the mouth

Intended to rape the same woman in December 2013 at Bute House by causing her to sit on a bed, lying on top of her, making sexual remarks to her, touching her buttocks, thighs and breasts over her clothing with his hands, repeatedly kissing her face, struggling with her and pulling up her dress

Sexually assaulted a woman in 2012 at the Ubiquitous Chip restaurant in Glasgow by touching her buttocks with his hand over her clothing

Sexually assaulted the same woman at Bute House in April 2014 by placing his arm around her, making sexual remarks to her and attempting to kiss her
Sexually assaulted a woman at Bute House in May 2014 by placing his arm around her body, placing his hand under her clothing and underwear and touching her breast, repeatedly kissing her on the face and neck and stroking her leg with his hand

Sexually assaulted a woman at Bute House in September 2014 by seizing her by the shoulders, repeatedly kissing her on the face, attempting to kiss her on the lips and touching her leg and face with his hand

Sexually assaulted a woman at Stirling Castle in November 2014 by touching her buttock with his hand over her clothing

Mr Salmond says he is innocent of all the allegations against him, and has entered not guilty pleas to all 14 of the charges.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotla...itics-51707459