Salmond: Observer journalists accessed my bank account
Alex Salmond's bank account was illegally accessed by journalists working for the Observer newspaper, the Scottish first minister has claimed at the Leveson inquiry.
Mr Salmond said he had been informed of the incident, which occurred in the run-up to the 1999 Scottish parliamentary elections, by an ex-Observer journalist.
The journalist was able to demonstrate a knowledge of Mr Salmond's private transactions, including a purchase at a shop called 'Fun And Games'.
"This caused great anticipation and hope in the Observer investigation unit because they believed Fun and Games was more than a conventional toyshop and an enormous disappointment when it turned out to be just a toyshop," Mr Salmond said.
He said he had been purchasing gifts for two young nieces at the time.
"The point I'm making is that the person concerned had details which could only have been known by somebody who had full access to my bank account at that stage," he added.
Mr Salmond said he had to assume he had not been a victim of phone-hacking, as Strathclyde police had completed the process of informing victims.
He said the bank account incident had influenced his view of journalists, however.
"I believe that there is a substantial case that illegality was rife across many newspaper titles and that very little was done to uphold the criminal law – just some faltering prosecutions," Mr Salmond told the Leveson inquiry.
"I think that both in England and certainly in Scotland that will now be rectified and criminal law will now be upheld."
A spokesman for Guardian News and Media said Mr Salmond had first raised concerns about the incident last year, but that the newspaper had failed to find any evidence to substantiate the allegation.
"As our response to him at the time made clear, we take this allegation very seriously and if he is able to provide us with any more information we will investigate further," the spokesman said.
