Former Scottish leader Alex Salmond, who for years called for the country’s independence, appeared in court Thursday on charges of attempted rape and other sexual offenses, according to reports.
Salmond, 64, the former first minister, was arrested Wednesday and charged with nine counts of sexual assault, two counts of attempted rape, two counts of indecent assault and breach of the peace.
“I am innocent of any criminality whatsoever,” Salmond told reporters outside Edinburgh Sheriff Court after his brief court hearing, where he did not enter a plea and was released on bail.
“I refute absolutely these allegations of criminality and I will defend myself to the utmost in court,” he added. “I would love to say a great deal more but I’ve got to observe the rules of the court and in court is where I will state my case.”
Salmond stepped down as leader of the governing Scottish National Party in August after two women leveled sexual-harassment allegations against him.
The feisty, combative politician — nicknamed “Wee Eck” (“Little Alex”) — was the face of Scottish nationalism for decades and helped to push support for independence until Scotland voted to stay part of the UK in a 2014 referendum.
Last year, Salmond took legal action against the government — now led by his former SNP colleague Nicola Sturgeon — over how it handled the complaints process against him over harassment claims.
He won his judicial review in Scotland’s highest civil court this month after the government conceded it had acted unlawfully while investigating the claims as the separate criminal probe continued by police.
Salmond, who led the pro-independence SNP for 20 years, headed the country’s semi-autonomous government as first minister, from 2007 to 2014, when he stepped down.
“For Scotland, the campaign continues and the dream shall never die,” he said at the time.
He now hosts a weekly political chat show on Russian TV channel RT, which suggested he was being prosecuted because of his work.
RT Russia wrote on Telegram about his arrest that “it’s dangerous to be an RT presenter”.
“Alex Salmond has long angered the whole British and Scottish establishment,” it said, according to Agence France-Presse.
With Post Wires