Alex Salmond trial: how long will the court case last and what verdicts can the jury reach?

Alex Salmond, former First Minister of Scotland arrives at Edinburgh Sheriff Court after being arrested and charged by police on January 24 in Edinburgh (Photo by Duncan McGlynn /Getty Images) | Getty Images

The ex-SNP leader is in the dock at the High Court in Edinburgh to face 14 allegations, including sexual assault and attempted rape, against ten women.

Salmond has pleaded not guilty to all 14 charges

Here's everything you need to know about it:

What is Salmond accused of?

All the offences are alleged to have happened when Salmond, now 65, was first minister and are said to have occurred at locations including his official Bute House residence and the Scottish Parliament.

The alleged attempted rape is said to have happened in June 2014 at Bute House in Edinburgh’s Charlotte Square.

He is alleged to have pinned a woman against a wall and to have removed her clothes and his own, before pushing her onto a bed and lying naked on top of her.

Who is overseeing the trial?

Faculty of Advocates Dean, Gordon Jackson QC will be tasked with defending Salmond while Alex Prentice QC leads the crown’s case and the trial itself is overseen by Scotland’s most senior female judge, Lady Dorrian.

Jackson will present the case in defence of Salmond as he seeks to clear his name of multiple sexual assault charges from between 2008 and 2014, all of which Salmond denies.

In a career spanning over 40 years, Jackson has argued in a number of important cases.

However, perhaps his most famous legal battle was on behalf of a dog called Woofie.

In 1998, a cross collie named Woofie was accused of biting a postman and was going to be put down. The case attracted a great deal of attention, with French actor Brigette Bardot flying in to lend her support to the imperilled canine.

Jackson successfully defended the dog, winning it a reprieve.

How long will the trial last?

The trial – which began on 9 March – is expected to last four weeks, and that’s the time frame that has been allted to it.

That means we could see a verdict delivered in the first week of April.

However, the trial could take much less time than that, or much more.

What are the verdicts that could be given?

At the end of the trial, a verdict will be given, and under Scotland’s judicial laws, it will be one of three things.

Guilty means that the jury has considered the evidence and found Salmond guilty, while not guilty is the opposite.

Not proven essentially means the same as not guilty – and Salmond would be acquitted and innocent in the law.

If Salmond is found guilty, it will be for the judge to decide what sentence should be imposed.

The trial continues.