Thread by @BBCPhilipSim

Day eight of the Alex Salmond trial getting under way at the High Court; everyone still seems to be here rather than in self-isolation. Defence case to continue

Shelagh McCall taking the lead for the defence with their first witness of the day, Samantha Barber. She was chief exec of Scottish Business in the Community when Alex Salmond became first minister, and attended dinners at Bute House.

Shelagh McCall asking about the dinner with a celebrity after which Woman H says she was sexually assaulted by Alex Salmond. Samantha Barber says her recollection is that Woman H wasn’t able to go to that dinner. She says it’s her recollection that it was just the three of them.

Cross examination from Alex Prentice; he suggests to Samantha Barber that Woman H was at the dinner. She says “I absolutely genuinely have no recollection of seeing [Woman H] that night.”

Next defence witness is Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh

Ms Ahmed-Sheikh says Woman H texted her in 2015 to discuss a personal political project, saying “it would be great to work with Alex again”. Court looking at screenshots of texts

(quite difficult to report much of this evidence due to jigsaw ID issues)

Ms Ahmed-Sheikh says she was at the event where Woman K had her photo taken with Alex Salmond; she says she was next in line and didn’t see anything untoward happen. Shelagh McCall asks if she noted any apparent discomfort on the part of Woman K; “no I did not”.

Next defence witness is Fergus Mutch, who worked for Alex Salmond. He says he was with Woman J in his company in the days after the alleged incident at Bute House; he says she was “in good form” and “professional at all times”, and says she was “relaxed” in Alex Salmond’s company

After mid morning break, defence calls Kirk Torrance. He was working for SNP and also says he saw Woman J in days after the alleged incident at Bute House; did she seem upset? “Quite the opposite”. He says Woman J was “enthusiastically” gossiping with other staff

Another witness, a civil servant says working for Alex Salmond was “a privilege & a penance”; it was “very exciting & fast paced, but it was tough & you have to be resilient”. FM “could be very demanding” and “quite fierce” if people weren’t on their game, but could also be “fun”

Next defence witness is Geoff Aberdein, who worked for Alex Salmond. He says the FM was “firm but fair”; the job was “all hours, hectic, very demanding” - but it was “one of the best experiences of my life”

It’s the lunch break at court, btw. The debate over what can and can’t be reported is particularly intense today so not been tweeting much!

Court back in session, defence questioning a civil servant who says she never felt uncomfortable around Alex Salmond; she says she was not aware of any system prohibiting women from working alone with him at night

Court also hears from Alexander Anderson, who worked for Alex Salmond; he says the former FM “has always been tactile” and approachable and would shake hands with and hug people in the street. But witness says his behaviour was “absolutely not inappropriate”

Court told that one witness hasn’t turned up and another, a police officer, has been called away on urgent business - so we’re out of witnesses for today. Gordon Jackson says he has a few to go through tomorrow, but “nothing major”