It was at 2.45pm yesterday that an announcement came over the High Court’s public address system: “The jury has reached a verdict. This is a verdict.”
About 40 reporters covering the 11-day trial quickly filed into Court Three, along with 20 members of the public who had queued for one of the daily tickets.
The last to enter was the accused, Alexander Elliott Anderson Salmond.
He walked slowly, managing a tight smile, as he took his place in the dock behind a wall of glass.
His right hand rested inside a pocket in his dark suit, his left holding an ever-present notepad where he’d jotted observations during the evidence.
Salmond offered a polite greeting to the security officers flanking him as he always did.
Then judge Lady Dorrian entered the court and asked for the jury to be brought in. Two of the jurors had been discharged that morning, bringing their number down to 13.
The jury foreman was asked to stand and give their verdict on each of the 13 charges in turn.
Upon the first “not guilty”, a single loud clap was heard from the public gallery and one of three uniformed police officers hurried over to quiet the individual.
Then the foreman announced a string of further acquittals. When his job was completed, he sat down to total silence in the courtroom.
In the dock, Salmond had looked straight ahead as each verdict clearing him was returned. The former first minister was then formally acquitted by judge Lady Dorrian and she told him he was free to go.
Salmond replied: “Thank you, m’lady.”
Leaving the dock, there was no gesture of triumph.
He still moved slowly, seemingly still processing the exoneration from only moments before.
About 20 minutes later, Salmond emerged outside the court building. Only a few onlookers were present alongside the media, the coronavirus outbreak keeping the usually busy Royal Mile nearly empty.
After his address to the media, Salmond walked towards St Giles Street where a car waited to take him away. One supporter shouted: “We knew you were not guilty.”
Salmond stopped and aimed a wave in the man’s direction.
He then spotted his defence lawyer, Gordon Jackson QC.
The former first minister approached his defender with a broad smile and the pair touched elbows in the gesture of regards for these uncertain times.
Then Salmond went back to his car and was whisked away.
