A WOMAN has described fending off an alleged assault by Alex Salmond as “like wrestling with an octopus”. 

The civil servant told the High Court in Edinburgh that the former First Minister grabbed her wrists and attempted to kiss her in a bid to recreate an “inappropriate” Christmas card scene.

Three civil servants later told the court that staffing rules were changed to ensure female staff did not work alone with Mr Salmond in his official residence in the evening, following complaints about his behaviour.

One said staff were “frightened” of Mr Salmond, while another said the civil service considered withdrawing some support altogether "under the circumstances". 

The court heard claims Mr Salmond indecently assaulted a female civil servant, who cannot be named for legal reasons and is known as Woman B, in Bute House, his official residence in Edinburgh, in late 2010.   

The assault allegedly happened after a meeting during which senior staff had raised concerns that a Christmas card due to be sent out by the first minister and his wife was too “sexualised”. 

It depicted a painting by the artist Jack Vettriano, showing a “quite scantily clad” women reaching up to kiss an older man in glasses.

After the meeting finished at around 11pm, the woman was left alone with the first minister in the drawing room of Bute House, when he allegedly said: "Let's recreate the pose on the Christmas card."

The woman said: “He grabbed my wrists and pulled me towards him and I was just shocked.”

She added: “It felt like every time I managed to get a hand off, another hand would appear.”

She said he was “persistent”, adding: “It felt like I was wrestling with an octopus.”

The civil servant said it felt like this went on "forever" but it probably lasted for seconds or a minute. 

She said it then felt like Mr Salmond was “coming in to kiss me”, adding: “He was leaning towards me, trying to pull me in to him, and because he had said, 'Let’s recreate the pose on the Christmas card,’ I knew it was a sexual approach.”

The woman said she “absolutely” did not consent, adding:  “I felt alarmed and I wanted it to stop.”

She told the jury the alleged assault ended when a colleague came to the door.  

She said she "was shocked and really surprised that it had happened". 

She said: “I spoke to my line manager but I don’t think there was really an option to take things further at that time in the Scottish Government, because of the relationship that existed between the civil service and the First Minister."

She added: “I felt that if I had complained formally, I would have been the problem and I would have been removed – and I had worked really hard.”

She later said: “If I had complained, I think it would have been swept under the carpet, and I think I would have suffered in my career as a result.”

The woman said she never saw anybody in a senior position in the Scottish Government tackle the First Minister about his behaviour. 

Shelagh McCall QC, Mr Salmond's lawer, suggested the First Minister’s behaviour had been “hijinks”. 

Woman B responded: “I would say that it was 11 at night in an empty room at Bute House, and I don’t think that can be described as hijinks.”

Three civil servants later gave evidence that two other women, Woman F and Woman G, had raised complaints in late 2013 and early 2014 about Mr Salmond's behaviour. 

One said Woman G appeared "traumatised" and upset when she told him about an alleged assault. 

All three said staffing rules were changed in the aftermath of the claims, in a bid to stop female civil servants from working alone with Mr Salmond in Bute House in the evenings.

Civil servant Christopher Birt told the court that general Scottish Government guidance for reporting such allegations was not used.

He later added: "I would not have trusted the civil service processes in place at the time to be able to handle such sensitive issues."

The 37-year-old said the working environment under Mr Salmond "brought on levels of stress...that led to mental ill health" among some people.

Later on Monday, Mr Salmond was formally acquitted of a charge of sexual assault after the Crown offered no evidence.

Judge Lady Dorrian told Mr Salmond: "In light of the decision of the advocate depute, I formally acquit you of charge six on the indictment."

Advocate depute Alex Prentice QC also proposed to make minor changes to three other charges "in line with the evidence" before the Crown closed its case.

Mr Salmond faces multiple charges of sexual assault including an attempted rape. He denies all the allegations.

The prosecution has now ended its case following six days of evidence, and the trial continues tomorrow with Mr Salmond's defence.