Alex Salmond outside the High Court in Edinburgh yesterday. He said: “There was certain evidence that I would have liked to have seen led in this trial but for a variety of reasons we weren’t able to do so”

Alex Salmond is considering suing the Scottish government for “ruining three years of his life” in its handling of sexual assault complaints.

The former first minister was acquitted yesterday of 13 sexual assault charges at the High Court in Edinburgh. In January last year the government admitted in the court of session that it bungled its investigation of two complaints of sexual harassment that were made in 2018 against Mr Salmond.

He received £512,000 in legal costs after he brought the successful judicial review against ministers. His supporters have said that further action may now follow the end of criminal proceedings.

“The Scottish government has ruined three years of his life,” one ally said. “He has already got a judgment from the Court of Session