Police Scotland has confirmed it is continuing its investigation into sexual misconduct claims against Alex Salmond regardless of his court victory.
The force has been examining complaints against the former first minister since last autumn, after the Government’s most senior law officer, the Lord Advocate James Wolffe, QC, advised the matter be referred to the police.
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After winning his judicial review against the Government’s flawed internal inquiry into the claims, which relate to 2013, Mr Salmond predicted he would also be cleared of criminality.
Officers are understood to have spoken to more than a dozen Government staff as part of their inquiry, which has been codenamed Operation Diem.
It emerged in November that officers have also extended their enquiries beyond the civil service, interviewing staff at Edinburgh Airport after being informed of an alleged incident there in 2008.
Asked outside court about the ongoing investigation, Mr Salmond said: “I’m certainly not guilty of criminality. I’m certainly not guilty of what the Permanent Secretary suggested.
“I’ve never said, incidentally, that I was an angel.
“Throughout this process, I’ve said it’s important I didn’t comment on a judicial review until it was concluded. I’ve now done that and I’m now commenting on it.
“In the same token, I’m certainly not going to comment on police enquiries, but I’ll face that matter when we come to it.”
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He added later: “In August, I said the process used against me was unfair, unlawful and tainted by bias. I also said I was not guilty of any criminality.
“The first of these has been established. The second is to come.”
Police Scotland said: “Our enquiries continue, we will not be commenting further.”
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