EDINBURGH (AFP) – A woman who has accused Scotland’s former first minister Alex Salmond of sexual assault said on Tuesday (March 10) she had flashbacks and spoke out because of the Harvey Weinstein case.

She told a jury at the High Court in Edinburgh that no one was “cheerleading” her to give evidence and it was her decision alone to speak to the police.

“It was on the back of the Harvey Weinstein case,” she said, referring to the #MeToo movement against sexual misconduct that gained prominence after accusations against the disgraced Hollywood mogul.

“These issues started to be discussed and I started to have what I could describe as flashbacks. I started to come to the realisation at the October/November 2017 period.”

The woman, a former Scottish government official was referred to in court as “Woman H”. Under Scots law, alleged victims of sexual offences cannot be identified.

Salmond, 65, who led the devolved government in Edinburgh from 2007 to 2014, is facing a string of sexual assault allegations brought by 10 women.

He has been charged with two counts of indecent assault, 10 of sexual assault, an attempted rape and a sexual assault with intent to rape, according to the trial indictment.

He has denied all the charges and at the start of his trial on Monday, his legal team submitted special defences to the court of consent and alibi.

The prosecution alleges the offences were committed at various locations across Scotland between June 2008 and November 2014.

The most serious allegation of attempted rape is said to have involved the attack against Woman H in June 2014 at the first minister’s official Bute House residence in the Scottish capital.

He is alleged to have repeatedly kissed her face and neck, groped her, pinned her against a wall, pulled at her clothes and stripped himself naked before trying to rape her.

The woman claimed Salmond attacked her at Bute House on a separate occasion in May 2014.

She told the jury of nine women and six men on Monday she felt “embarrassed and humiliated” by what happened.

Salmond could be called to give evidence, although he is under no obligation to do so, as the burden of proof is on the prosecution to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt.

Salmond, who is married and a former economist at the Royal Bank of Scotland, took over the leadership of the Scottish National Party (SNP) in 1990.

He led the unsuccessful campaign for Scottish independence in 2014. He then resigned and was replaced by Nicola Sturgeon.

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