A POLICE investigation into claims that a Scottish Government probe into sexual harassment allegations against former first minister Alex Salmond was “leaked” has ended with no action taken.

However, Police Scotland said that further action would be considered if more information came to light, the Daily Record reported.

The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) said it had not received a report about the probe – but in a furious statement Salmond alleged this was "yet another lie".

Salmond – who was first minister between 2007 and 2014 – was investigated by the Scottish Government after two complaints from staff were made under a new procedure which included former ministers.

In 2018, it was reported that the two complaints had been referred to the police.

However, the Government investigation was deemed by a judicial review to have been “tainted with apparent bias” after the Scottish Government conceded defeat and Salmond was awarded £512,000 as a result.

He was subsequently cleared of 13 charges of sexual misconduct – including attempted rape – following a trial at the High Court in Edinburgh.

Then followed a protracted Holyrood inquiry into the Scottish Government’s handling of the original two complaints, which called both Salmond and former first minister Nicola Sturgeon to give evidence.

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A probe into the “leak” of information about the complaints was launched by Police Scotland and called Operation Newbiggin.

It has now closed with no report sent to the COPFS.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: "Our enquiries are now complete and no further action is being taken. Should further information become available this will be considered."

However, on social media the former first minister claimed police had "confirmed that they submitted reports to COPFS on Newbiggin before and after Christmas". He accused COPFS, which had said in a statement that no report had been submitted, of "yet another lie".

Salmond went on: “Nor is there any doubt that a criminal leak took place. That’s the basis of the two year investigation. The question is ‘whodunnit’.

"Here’s an interesting paradox. The police can’t find out in a criminal inquiry in two years, what much of Scotland’s social media have known for five.

“This latest Crown Office blunder underlines that they are an organisation unfit for purpose and any root and branch reform of criminal justice in Scotland should not start with an attack on juries but in putting a proper distance between the Government and the prosecutorial service.”

In November 2023, reports said that Salmond had opened legal action against the Government over its botched investigation of harassment complaints against him.