Former Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross accuses SNP minister of assault and verbal abuse

Former Scottish Tory person Douglas Ross has accused a authorities curate of assaulting and verbally abusing him astatine Holyrood.

Mr Ross made the allegation against parliamentary concern curate Jamie Hepburn astatine the extremity of First Minister's Questions (FMQs) connected Thursday.

The alleged incidental has not been reported to Police Scotland, but Mr Ross intends to talk with parliamentary police.

The person told the enclosure that helium had emailed Presiding Officer Alison Johnstone astir the alleged incident.

Addressing First Minister John Swinney, Mr Ross claimed helium had been "physically assaulted and verbally abused" by Mr Hepburn connected Wednesday.

Speaking to journalists, Mr Hepburn admitted that helium enactment his manus connected Mr Ross' enarthrosis and "probably utilized a fewer prime words I shouldn't have".

He added: "That's it."

In a connection earlier, Mr Ross said: "The curate grabbed maine connected the enarthrosis and held connected to maine each the mode retired of the chamber.

"At the aforesaid clip helium was continually swearing astatine maine and getting much and much aggressive. He conscionable wouldn't springiness up.

"He mislaid his temper successful a large mode and determination is nary mode that behaviour tin beryllium tolerated successful immoderate workplace.

"Jamie Hepburn has a work to perceive to members and respond to them - that is his relation arsenic parliamentary concern [minister].

"However, it seems that if helium disagrees with you helium resorts to violent, threatening and intimidating behaviour.

"Given the seriousness of the incidental and having alerted parliamentary officials yesterday afternoon, I felt it was close to besides rise it with the archetypal minister."

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Mr Ross, who served arsenic person of the Scottish Conservatives from 2020 until 2024 and is the MSP for the Highlands and Islands, noted that Mr Hepburn was absent from the enclosure arsenic helium questioned whether Mr Swinney would beryllium making a connection successful regards to the allegation.

The archetypal minister, who was successful Windsor connected Wednesday for the authorities banquet held for US President Donald Trump, told journalists aft FMQs: "It's the archetypal I've heard astir it. Obviously, I was distant yesterday truthful I don't person immoderate cognition astir it."

Mr Swinney added that helium would "consider these issues".

Following Mr Ross' claim, Presiding Officer Ms Johnstone said: "This is simply a precise superior allegation and it is important that it is dealt with done the due processes."

He added: "I expect each members to instrumentality their responsibilities nether the codification of behaviour seriously."

Mr Hepburn, MSP for Cumbernauld and Kilsyth, has held galore roles wrong the Scottish government, and was astir precocious curate for independency from 2023 until 2024.

Asked wherefore helium mislaid his temper, Mr Hepburn said: "I deliberation everyone knows the context. I was speaking to a concern question aft we had conscionable agreed landmark legislation to amended the acquisition for victims and witnesses yesterday.

"I deliberation helium spoke to the concern question successful a mode that helium shouldn't have, but I recognise I should person kept my chill and not utilized the words I shouldn't have."

When asked if helium would apologise to Mr Ross, Mr Hepburn said helium would "freely talk to him" if helium wished.

The Scottish parliament said determination was nary CCTV footage of the alleged incident.

A parliament spokesperson said it "takes a zero-tolerance attack to bullying and harassment and immoderate allegations of criminality should beryllium reported straight to the police.

"As the presiding serviceman said successful the chamber, this is simply a precise superior allegation and it is important that it is dealt with done the due processes."

The Scottish authorities has been contacted for comment.