Police are launching an investigation into sexual abuse allegations against late Alba leader Alex Salmond

Police in Scotland are investigating a historic sexual abuse allegation against the late Alba party leader Alex Salmond.

Salmond died last month in North Macedonia after suffering a massive heart attack while attending a conference.

His funeral took place earlier this week on Tuesday in his home town of Strichen in Aberdeenshire.

On Sunday, Police Scotland confirmed that non-recent allegations of sexual abuse had been made against the former First Minister following his death.

A spokesperson said: “We can confirm that we have received a report of a non-recent sexual assault.

“The information is being assessed.”

Salmond was Prime Minister of the SNP from 2007 to 2014 and led the party through the independence referendum.

He resigned from the SNP in 2018 when allegations of sexual misconduct emerged.

The following year he was charged with fourteen crimes, including two attempted rapes. He was acquitted of all charges in March 2020 after a two-week trial.

He successfully took the Scottish government to court to prove that the way officials handled complaints against him was tainted with bias, and received more than £500,000 in statutory compensation.

In 2023, he launched a new legal bid against the Scottish government over their handling of abuse allegations against him.

He had accused Nicola Sturgeon and other senior women in government of misconduct in public office.

Responding to the police investigation into the historic sexual abuse allegation, an SNP spokesperson said: “SNP disciplinary processes can only be invoked against current SNP members.”

Salmond returned to politics in 2021, becoming leader of the newly formed Alba Party, which also supports Scottish independence.

The Alba Party has been contacted for comment.