SNP CHIEF executive Peter Murrell admits he sent WhatsApp messages calling for the police to be pressurised over the Alex Salmond case, it has been reported.
Murrell, who is married to Nicola Sturgeon, also regrets the way he worded the messages, according to the Daily Record.
Last month former justice secretary and SNP MP Kenny MacAskill revealed he had received an anonymous document relating to the Salmond case.
READ: Nicola Sturgeon's full submission to the Alex Salmond inquiry
READ: Peter Murrell's submission to the Alex Salmond inquiry in full
A committee is examining the Scottish Government’s botched handling of sexual misconduct allegations against Salmond while he was first minister.
In a judicial review in 2019 Salmond had the probe set aside, forcing the Scottish Government to admit it had been “tainted by apparent bias”.
This year Salmond stood trial on a series of sexual assault charges, and was acquitted of all charges.
The messages leaked to MacAskill claimed to be from 2019, sent the day after Salmond was charged with sexual offences.
One message said it was a “good time to be pressurising” police while another, referring to a separate complaint about Salmond to the Met Police which was later dropped, said “the more fronts he is having to firefight on the better for all complainers”.
READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon says claims she's obstructing Salmond inquiry 'bear no scrutiny'
The newspaper reported that Murrell has confirmed he sent the messages. They wrote the SNP chief executive is believed to have wanted individuals to direct questions to the police in the first message, and in the second one is claiming he meant all allegations should be investigated.
Last week Scottish Tory Holyrood group leader Ruth Davidson challenged the First Minister on the alleged messages during FMQs.
Asked whether the messages were genuine, Sturgeon said she did not think it was “reasonable” to be “asked questions about things that other people might or might not have done”.
“Call the people who the messages are purported to come from and ask them the questions,” the SNP leader told Davidson. “Call me and I will answer for myself.”
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