ALEX Salmond has said that a woman who claims he sexually assaulted her encouraged others to “exaggerate or make claims” against him in a campaign of “deliberate fabrications for a political purpose”.

The former First Minister gave all his evidence within the space of a single day at the High Court in Edinburgh – facing 13 charges of sexual assault, all of which he denies.

During his evidence, Mr Salmond told the jury that he wished he had been “more careful with people’s personal space” and denied that there was a policy that stopped him being alone with female civic servants at Bute House, the official residence of the First Minister.

Mr Salmond told the court that he has never had “non-consensual relations with anyone”. He labelled claims he attempted to rape a former Scottish Government official, known as Woman H, in June 2014, as “a fabrication” but told the jury that he has a consensual encounter with her one year before the alleged incident.

Mr Salmond said that some of the allegations he faces have been fabricated.

“From where I stand now, I wish I had been more careful with people's personal space, but there was no intention whatsoever to offend," he said.

"But I'm of the opinion, for a variety of reasons, that events are being reinterpreted and exaggerated out of all possible proportion."

He was asked to explain why, by his QC, Gordon Jackson.

Mr Salmond said: "There were two reasons - one is that some, not all, are fabrications, deliberate fabrications for a political purpose. Some are exaggerations taken out of proportion."

Mr Salmond claimed one of his accusers actively encouraged at least five others to “exaggerate or make claims” against him.

The accuser, known as Woman A, a senior official in the Scottish Government, claims Mr Salmond sexually assaulted her in Glasgow between June and July 2008.

Mr Salmond said: “I would never, under any circumstances, be touching (Woman A) inappropriately.

“It would be insane to do anything like that. Her claims are a fabrication from start to finish.”

Mr Salmond also refuted claims he ran his hands down her body at an Edinburgh nightclub in December 2010.

He said: “What’s a fabrication is that in the middle of a dancefloor, I would proceed to sexually assault her.

“It’s not just a fabrication – it’s ludicrous.”

Mr Salmond is also accused of sexually assaulting a former Scottish Government official, known as Woman H in May 2014 and a charge he intended to rape her in June 2014.

He said that Woman H had been his “greatest cheerleader” and denied both incidents took place. But he told the court that he had a “consensual sexual liaison” with her in August 2013 in “a state of partial undress”.

He added: “There was no sex but there was sexual behaviour.

“We both realised it was not a good idea. We parted as good friends with no damage done.”

Mr Salmond said that Woman H had not been at Bute House in June 2014, when the alleged assault is claimed to have taken place.

Mr Jackson said: “If (Woman H) was not there, she has told a pretty big story which is not true.”

Mr Salmond said: “That’s correct.”

Mr Jackson replied: “Can you think of any reason why she would make something like that up?”

Mr Salmond said that he had refused to endorse a personal political project she had been involved in.

Mr Salmond’s former case worker Isobel Zambonini told the court that Mr Salmond was “never ever nasty to anyone”.

Ms Zambonini was asked by Mr Jackson about an encounter with Woman H in the summer of 2016.

She said: “She then said he needs to remember who he is and how he got there.

“I was instrumental in making that happen.”

She added that she was “actually quite shocked” by the “very angry exchange”.

He said a civil servant in the Scottish Government, known as Woman B, had "misremembered" an incident where she accused him of grabbing her and trying to kiss her following a meeting in Bute House in 2010.

Woman B had claimed that Mr Salmond had suggested they recreate a pose on a Christmas card, a picture of a woman in a festive outfit kissing a man.

Mr Salmond said: "It was a joke, it was hijinks, it was a piece of fun. It was not meant to be anything more than that."

Cross examining Mr Salmond, Alex Prentice, QC for The Crown, said: “Did you give any consideration to (Woman B’s) feelings for one minute when you took hold of her and said ‘let’s re-enact the Christmas card’?”

Mr Salmond said: “It was a joke, it was no more than that.”

Mr Prentice asked Mr Salmond the same question a further three times.

Mr Salmond replied: “There was no indication to me that it was wrong. She told me not to be daft.”

He added: “I don’t agree that it was entirely inappropriate, but I would not do it again.”

Mr Prentice asked Mr Salmond whether when he was First Minister, was he “quite a forceful person?”

Mr Salmond said: "Yes."

He was then asked if he “instilled a sense of fear”.

Mr Salmond said: "I think some people were intimidated but (Woman B) was not one of those people.”

He was asked: "Did you have any regard for the welfare of young women in your company in Bute House?"

Mr Salmond said: "Yes I did, not just in Bute House but elsewhere."

He is also accused of grabbing the knee of an SNP politician, Known as Woman C, in the back of an official car.

Mr Salmond claimed Woman C had described to the court the wrong vehicle they were travelling in - with his official government car having a phone installed, making it difficult to reach across the back seat

He said: “You could not do it without being noticed from someone in the front.

“The allegation that I had my hand in (Woman C’s) knee for the bulk of the journey, that was impossible.”

Mr Salmond denied a claim he  sexually assaulted a Scottish Government civil servant, Woman D at Bute House on various occasions.

Mr Salmond said: “I had not sexual contact.

“I occasionally tugged her hair. It was no more than an affectionate gesture. There was nothing sexual in it at all.”

Mr Salmond said he “stroked her face until I know she was awake” for the “sole intention of waking her up in a gentle, not abrupt way”.

Mr Salmond was questioned about an allegation he assaulted a woman in his First Minister’s bedroom at Bute House in late 2013 after they drank the Chinese spirit, maotai, together.

He told the jury that he and Woman F, a Scottish Government official, “collapsed” into what he described as a “sleepy cuddle”.

He added: “My hands and arms were around her. There was no struggle whatsoever.

“I apologised for, I was First Minister, she was in my bedroom and we were tipsy. I put her in an embarrassing position.”

Mr Jackson asked Mr Salmond if he had intended to rape her.

“It’s not true”, said Mr Salmond.

“I have never attempted to have non-consensual sexual relations with anybody in my life.”

Mr Salmond told the jury that “nothing improper” had taken place between him and Woman J, an SNP worker at Bute House in September 2014.

Woman J alleged he assaulted her after performing a zombie impression.

Mr Salmond added: “The only physical contact I had with (Woman J) that entire event, was I tapped her on the nose.”

He also told the court he "didn't grab the bottom" of Woman K, a former civil servant, when they were photographed together at Stirling Castle in November 2014.

Mr Prentice said: “You grabbed (Woman K’s) backside because you could, is that the case?”

Mr Salmond said: “I had my picture taken with everyone that was there that night.

"I didn't grab Ms K's backside but should have been more aware that she didn't want to have her picture taken."

Mr Salmond had earlier denied an accusation he sexually assaulted a Scottish Government official, known as Woman G, by touching her buttocks at the Ubiquitous Chip restaurant in Glasgow in March 2012.

Mr Salmond said: “I chivvied (Woman G) in a gentle way up the stairs.

“I pushed her on the lower back.”

He denied a further charge of sexually assaulting Woman G  in April 2014.

Mr Salmond said he had been trying to comfort her.

The trial before judge Lady Dorrian, continues.