LONDON: Former Scottish leader Alex Salmond, one of the country’s best-known politicians, appeared in court on Thursday on charges including attempted rape and sexual assault.
Salmond was arrested Wednesday and faces 14 charges: nine counts of sexual assault, two of attempted rape, two of indecent assault and one breach of the peace.
No further details were given, and Salmond was not asked to enter a plea.
“I am innocent of any criminality whatsoever,” Salmond said in a brief statement outside Edinburgh Sheriff Court. “I refute absolutely these allegations of criminality and I will defend myself to the utmost in court.”
Salmond stepped down as leader of the governing Scottish National Party in August after two women made allegations of sexual harassment.
Salmond denied any wrongdoing and sued the Scottish government over its handling of the claims.
Scotland’s highest civil court ruled earlier this month that the way the Scottish government handled the allegations against Salmond was unlawful, but that didn’t derail the police investigation.
Salmond led the pro-independence SNP for 20 years and headed Scotland’s semi-autonomous government as first minister from 2007 to 2014. A major figure on the Scottish political stage for decades, he led the SNP to its first majority government in 2011 and took Scotland to the verge of independence from the UK by holding a 2014 referendum.
He stepped down after the “remain” side won by 55% to 45%.
Salmond’s longtime friend and political successor, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, said Thursday it would be “completely inappropriate for me or anyone else” to comment on a live legal case.
Former Scottish leader Salmond charged with attempted rape
Former Scottish leader Salmond charged with attempted rape
- Salmond was arrested Wednesday and faces 14 charges
- Salmond denied any wrongdoing and sued the Scottish government over its handling of the claims
First urban cable car unveiled outside Paris
- The cable car will carry some 11,000 passengers per day in its 105 gondolas
- The 138-million-euro project was cheaper to build than a subway, officials said
PARIS: Gondolas floated above a cityscape in the southeastern suburbs of Paris Saturday as the first urban cable car in the French capital’s region was unveiled.
Officials inaugurated the C1 line in the suburb of Limeil-Brevannes in the presence of Valerie Pecresse, the head of the Ile-de-France region, and the mayors of the towns served by the cable car.
The 4.5-kilometer route connects Creteil to Villeneuve-Saint-Georges and passes through Limeil-Brevannes and Valenton.
The cable car will carry some 11,000 passengers per day in its 105 gondolas, each able to accommodate ten seated passengers.
The total journey will take 18 minutes, including stops along the way, compared to around 40 minutes by bus or car, connecting the isolated neighborhoods to the Paris metro’s line 8.
The 138-million-euro project was cheaper to build than a subway, officials said.
“An underground metro would never have seen the light of day because the budget of more than billion euros could never have been financed,” said Gregoire de Lasteyrie, vice president of the Ile-de-France regional council in charge of transport.
It is France’s seventh urban cable car, with aerial tramways already operating in cities including Brest, Saint-Denis de La Reunion and Toulouse.
Historically used to cross rugged mountain terrain, such systems are increasingly being used to link up isolated neighborhoods.
France’s first urban cable car was built in Grenoble, nestled at the foot of the Alps, in 1934. The iconic “bubbles” have become one of the symbols of the southeastern city.
