Police Scotland has announced the conclusion of its investigation into a historical sexual assault allegation against the late Alex Salmond, stating that no further action will be taken.
The complaint was lodged last year, following the death of the former first minister at the age of 69.
In March 2020, Mr. Salmond was acquitted of 13 sexual offense charges, including attempted rape, after a trial at the High Court in Edinburgh.
The Alba Party founder and former SNP leader passed away due to a heart attack while attending a conference in North Macedonia in October 2024.
The police’s statement follows confirmation that Mr. Salmond’s family is pursuing legal action against the Scottish government, seeking damages and compensation for loss of earnings related to the government’s handling of harassment complaints against him.
In November, Police Scotland confirmed the receipt of a report concerning “a non-recent sexual assault.”
In a subsequent statement, the force indicated that an investigation was conducted, leading to the conclusion that “no further action will be taken.”
At the time of his death, Mr. Salmond was engaged in legal proceedings against the Scottish government regarding its handling of harassment complaints made against him.
He had sued the government for misfeasance, a legal term referring to the improper execution of lawful authority.
The former first minister previously won a legal challenge against the government in 2019, arguing that its handling of complaints against him was flawed, with the investigation deemed to be “tainted with apparent bias.”
He was awarded £500,000 in costs for that case and was seeking a reported £3 million in damages and loss of earnings in the more recent legal claim.
Following Mr. Salmond’s death, the Alba Party confirmed that his family had assumed responsibility for the case.
A Scottish government spokesperson stated that it would “not be appropriate to comment on live legal proceedings.”
Mr. Salmond resigned as first minister and SNP leader in 2014, later establishing the pro-independence Alba Party in 2021.
His later years were marked by claims and counterclaims surrounding his conduct.
The former first minister faced 13 charges of sexual offenses, including attempted rape, but was acquitted on all counts following the 2020 trial.
The women who brought allegations against the former SNP leader—related to his tenure as first minister—included an SNP politician, a party worker, and several Scottish government officials.
During his testimony in court, Mr. Salmond acknowledged having a “sleepy cuddle” with one complainant in his official residence.
However, he characterized the claims regarding his alleged conduct as “deliberate fabrications for a political purpose” or “exaggerations.”
Mr. Salmond’s lawyer told the court that while the former first minister “could certainly have been a better man,” he had not committed any crimes.
He acknowledged that his client’s behavior had sometimes been inappropriate, describing him as “touchy-feely.”
A Holyrood inquiry into the government’s handling of complaints against Mr. Salmond concluded that Nicola Sturgeon, the then-First Minister, had misled MSPs concerning a meeting with her predecessor at her home in 2018, but cleared her of violating the ministerial code.
Following the trial, Mr. Salmond consistently asserted that numerous individuals within his former party had colluded against him in an attempt to prevent his return to frontline politics.
Alba party leader Kenny MacAskill stated that Mr. Salmond had been “vindicated by the highest civil court in Scotland and acquitted by a jury in the highest criminal court in the land.”
He added, “These outcomes speak for themselves and must not be ignored or diminished.”
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