A FORMER British diplomat has been charged with contempt of court after blogging about Alex Salmond's trial while it was happening.

Proceedings had started against Craig Murray, a former ambassador to Uzbekistan, the Crown Office confirmed.

The Former First Minister was cleared of all 13 sexual assault charges he faced after a two-week trial at the High Court in Edinburgh.

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It is a criminal offence to publish the identities of the women after a court order was made by Lady Dorrian during the trial.

Murray attended two days of the trial in the public gallery and on each day produced blogs of the proceedings. He had been declined access as a member of the media.

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