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| - A woman who accuses former Scottish first minister Alex Salmond of trying to rape her was not at his official residence the evening the alleged assault took place, his trial was told on Wednesday. A female defence witness said she did not recall seeing the woman "at any point" at Bute House in Edinburgh following a dinner in June 2014. Salmond, 65, is accused of 13 alleged sexual offences against nine women, including the person who made this allegation, known as Woman H. He denies all charges and has told the court that some of the sexual assault claims against him were fabricated for political reasons. The defence witness, a businesswoman, said she was at the dinner with Salmond and another guest. When prosecutor Alex Prentice suggested Woman H had been at the dinner, she replied: "I understand the police put that to me and I absolutely have no recollection of seeing (her) on that night." The court also heard that Woman H said she would like to work again with Salmond -- a year after she alleges he attempted to rape her. Jurors were shown a text message exchange between Woman H and a former lawmaker at the Scottish National Party that Salmond led at the time. Part of one message sent by Woman H in June 2015, read: "Would be great to be working with him again." The jury also heard from Salmond's former principal private secretary, Karen Watt, who described working with him as a "privilege and a penance". Salmond is on trial over accusations of sexual assault, including the attempted rape, spanning a period between June 2008 and November 2014. His lawyers previously lodged special defences of consent and alibi. Consent was given as a defence for three alleged sexual assaults and an alleged indecent assault against three women. Salmond, who is married and a former economist at the Royal Bank of Scotland, took over the leadership of the SNP in 1990, standing down after the failed referendum. He was replaced by Nicola Sturgeon. dmh/phz/har
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