Nicola Sturgeon says Alex Salmond trial verdict ‘must be respected’

Nicola Sturgeon has said a jury’s decision to acquit Alex Salmond of all charges “must be respected” after the former SNP leader walked free from the High Court in Edinburgh.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the verdict of the court must be respected

The First Minister, who served as Mr Salmond’s deputy until his resignation in 2014, made a statement after issuing the Scottish Government’s latest coronavirus advice.

She made it clear that dealing with the on-going pandemic remained her priority but accepted there would be further questions about the case in the future.

“The court has reached a verdict and that must be respected,” she said.

“I’m a strong believer in a vigorous, robust, independent judicial process where complaints of this nature, if they come forward, are properly and thoroughly investgiated, due process takes its course and a court reaches a decision, and that’s what has happened today.

“I have no doubt that there will be further discussion around this issue in due course, in the fullness of time - and I welcome that. But that time is not now.

“This country faces a crisis right now bigger than anything we have faced before and as First Minister my duty to the public is to do everything I can to focus 100 per cent on steering us through that crisis, and that is what I intend to do.”

A jury found Mr Salmond not guilty on 12 of the sexual assault charges facing him, while another was found not proven.

Reacting to the verdict, Scottish Conservatives leader Jackson Carlaw said: “As we all know, Scotland is dealing with a much more severe challenge today than this high-profile court case.

“That said, there are now some very serious questions facing the SNP, the Scottish Government and Nicola Sturgeon.

“The court case may be over, but for them this is just the beginning.

“Clearly, there is still a lack of information which needs to be fully interrogated, and the Scottish Parliament inquiry will provide that opportunity.

“This remains a national political scandal with profound questions of integrity for the First Minister and her SNP government.

“However, that opportunity must be deferred for the time being while all our efforts and resources concentrate on Covid-19.”

The high-profile court case has widened a rift between Mr Salmond and his successor.

Sources close to Mr Salmond told Sky News that he believes the First Minister played a role in conspiring against him, something Ms Sturgeon has denied.

She told the Scottish Parliament in January 2019: “It seems to me that I am being simultaneously accused of being involved in a conspiracy against Alex Salmond, and also of colluding with Alex Salmond.

“Nothing could be further from the truth in both of those - neither of those things are true.”