Police investigating sexual misconduct claims against Alex Salmond 'probing alleged incident at Edinburgh Airport'

Police investigating sexual misconduct claims against Alex Salmond are said to be probing an alleged incident at Edinburgh Airport.

Officers are understood to have interviewed staff at the airport last week after initial inquiries into complaints by two Scottish Government employees brought fresh information to light.

The alleged incident is said to date back to 2008, when Mr Salmond used the airport regularly in his role as First Minister.

According to the Daily Record, it did not form part of the Scottish Government investigation into the two sexual harassment claims which emerged in August and sparked a police investigation.

A spokesman for Edinburgh Airport said: “We are helping police with their inquiries and are unable to comment further at this time.” Police Scotland said only that its inquiries were continuing.

It emerged in August that the Scottish Government had carried out an inquiry after two women raised complaints against Mr Salmond in January this year.

One woman claimed she had to make repeated requests to stop his alleged advances in a bedroom at Bute House, Edinburgh, in December 2013, the first minister’s official resident in Edinburgh.

The Daily Record said previously that it had seen the wording of one of the complaints, which was made by a government employee. She alleged the former first minister touched her bottom and breasts through her clothing while she was alone with him.

Mr Salmond, who quit the party to defend himself, strenuously denies the allegations and has launched a civil action contesting the way the government carried out its inquiry, which he claims was unfair.

The case came to the Court of Session in Edinburgh last week when a lawyer representing the former MP and MSP, who now hosts a television show on Russia Today, said he would argue that Mr Salmond was not given adequate information about the two sexual misconduct allegations.

The inquiry was overseen by the Scottish Government's senior civil servant, Leslie Evans, the permanent secretary, and Scottish ministers, who are contesting the action.

Mr Salmond raised more than £100,000 through a crowdfunding campaign to pay for his legal fees in the case. The case is due to be heard over four days from January 15.

A spokesman for Mr Salmond said he “denies all suggestions of misconduct at any time and suggests that everyone should allow police enquires to take their proper course without briefing or breaching their confidentiality”.

He added: “Alex has not been interviewed by the police about any matter. He is content to have his case against the Scottish Government stated in the Court of Session in January.”