Alex Salmond accuser tells of death threats and being 'scared to leave the house'

One of Alex Salmond's accusers has said she has suffered death threats and been left "scared to leave the house" since the trial.

The woman also criticised the Faculty of Advocates over delays in handling a complaint made against the former first minister's QC.

Gordon Jackson came under fire after footage recorded on a train apparently showed him naming two of Mr Salmond's accusers, who are the subject of strict rules protecting their anonymity.

A probe into the incident by the Faculty of Advocates is still ongoing.

Mr Salmond was cleared of multiple charges of sexual assault following a trial in March 2020.

Speaking to the Daily Record, one of his accusers said: “We deserve an apology from the Faculty, we deserve accountability and we deserve it now."

She said: “The video revealing Gordon Jackson bandying names around and smearing us not only brought the Faculty into disrepute, but directly jeopardised mine and others’ safety.”

The accuser added: “The women who have raised this complaint have faced injustice after injustice, on top of threatening and misogynistic abuse, particularly online, which the Crown Office has failed to protect us from in terms of our identities regularly being exposed.

“It’s meant I’ve been scared to leave the house, had direct death threats and my mental health has suffered severely.”

Sandy Brindley, chief executive of Rape Crisis Scotland, said the complaints process "has been dragged out much longer than it ever needed to be”.

A Faculty spokeswoman said: “On the complaint being remitted to Faculty in August 2020, it was appointed to a complaints committee, consisting of two QCs and two lay persons.

"In light of submissions made, the complaints committee decided that certain factual matters required to be considered by an investigating committee. The latter then asked for further material, which required to be ingathered.

"A further meeting of the complaints committee is scheduled for March 25, and it is anticipated that a decision will follow shortly thereafter.

"Faculty is well aware of the need for expedition, as well as the need for fairness to all parties involved in this process.

"All reasonable steps are being taken to advance this to a conclusion.”