NICOLA Sturgeon has launched a withering personal attack on Alex Salmond, accusing him of creating an “alternative reality” in which he is the victim of a vast conspiracy, rather than confronting his own demons. 

The First Minister suggested a fantasy was easier for her predecessor to accept than his own “behaviour” with women being at the root of some of his troubles.

Mr Salmond is set to give evidence to the Holyrood inquiry into a botched Scopttish Government sexual misconduct probe into him on Friday.

Inquiry members today agreed to accept the former Fuirst Minister's offer to appear, subject to taking legal advice, after he cancelled today’s appearance.

Ms Sturgeon was speaking after Mr Salmond and his supporters suggested his evidence to the inquiry was censored as part of a Government cover-up.

Mr Salmond’s lawyers today wrote to the head of Scotland’s prosecution service asking about material that might show it had been pressured to help censor his evidence.

Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross accused the Crown Office of “strong arming Parliament and suppressing evidence... to protect Nicola Sturgeon”.

He also claimed there was corruption within the Scottish Government.

READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon denies leaning on Crown Office over censored Alex Salmond evidence

It followed Holyrood bosses publishing, then redacting on Crown Office advice, a submission from Mr Salmond in which he accuses Ms Sturgeon of lying to parliament.

That led to MSPs claiming the parliament’s credibility was in crisis, and that it had made a “shameful, historic error” in folding to the Crown Office.

Prosecutors raised “grave concerns” parts of the material might breach a court order related to Mr Salmond’s criminal trial last year, even though it is already in the public domain.

The removal of five of the submission’s 33 sections, which relate to whether Ms Sturgeon misled parliament, mean they will not appear in the inquiry’s final report, and cannot be used as the basis to question Ms Sturgeon under oath.

The head of the Crown Office, the Lord Advocate James Wolffe QC, who is also a member of the Government, is due to be questioned on the matter by MSPs at Holyrood later.

At the daily briefing, Ms Sturgeon was asked about Mr Salmond’s claim that the Crown Office was withholding evidence that would support his claim of a conspiracy to ruin him, and thereby “shielding of some of the most powerful people in the country”. 

She was asked: “Have the tools of the State been used to protect your reputation?” 

READ MORE: Alex Salmond pulls out of Holyrood inquiry after evidence censored

The First Minister replied: “Absolutely, emphatically not, and there is not a shred of evidence to suggest that is the case.”

She said Mr Ross’s talk of corruption was standard opposition mudslinging ahead of the election, adding: “But I do think even opposition have a duty to have some evidence for the claims that they’re making.”

Turning to her predecessor, she said: “And Alex Salmond, well, you know, maybe creating an alternative reality in which the organs of the state, not just me and the SNP and the civil service and the Crown Office and the police and women who came forward, were all part of some wild conspiracy against him for reasons I can't explain, maybe that's easier than just accepting that at the root of all this might just have been issues in his own behaviour.

“But that's for him to explain if he ever decides to pitch up and sit in front of the committee."

The cross-party inquiry is looking at how the Scottish Government bungled a probe into sexual misconduct claims made against Mr Salmond in 2018.

He had the exercise set aside in a judicial review, showing it was “tainted by apparent bias”, a Government flaw that left taxpayers with a £512,000 bill for his costs.

He was later charged with sexual assault but cleared of all counts at a High Court trial last March.

In his written evidence, he claimed the prosecution was driven by people close to Ms Sturgeon who resented his victory in the civil case and wanted to damage him and remove from public life, "even to the extent of having me imprisoned".

He said SNP chief executive Peter Murrell, Ms Sturgeon's husband since 2010, was among the plotters.

READ MORE: MSPs to question Lord Advocate James Wolffe over censored Salmond evidence

During the trial, Mr Salmond's lawyers admitted his tactile behaviour with women could be inappropriate, but denied it ever rose to the level of criminality.

A Scottish Parliament spokesperson said: “There was unanimous agreement in the Committee [of inquiry]  that it wants to hear from Alex Salmond. His evidence has always been an important part of the Committee’s work and as such the Committee agreed that it would invite Mr Salmond to give evidence in person on Friday. 

“The First Minister will then give evidence as the final witness to the inquiry on Wednesday.

“The Committee remains determined to complete its task set by the Parliament and today agreed further actions in order to help them complete this work.”