Legal question about Alex Salmond case (trigger warning re sexual assault)

[meredithgrey1]

I have a legal question brought up by the Alex Salmond case. He's been charged with "attempted rape" and "assault with intent to rape". What is the difference between these two?

Attempted rape does not require a physical assault.
An assault turns into assault with intent to rape if the rape is the primary purpose of the assault

I don’t really understand how you’d attempt to rape someone without assaulting them. I read the descriptions of assaults as hands laid on parts of the body. So was there no touching involved in the attempted rape?

Sorry, I’ve read back what you’ve written and I think I misunderstood. No further explanation necessary.

This is Scottish law which is different from English law. The offence of assault with intent to rape does not exist in English law (to be pedantic, the offence is actually "assault with intent to rape or ravish").

I agree with the definitions given by cdtaylornats.

Well he's been cleared on 9 cases.

To be precise, he's been cleared of 12 charges relating to 9 alleged victims. One charge was found not proven and one (relating to a 10th woman) was dropped by the prosecution.

But 4 charges in addition will be heard in England as they are from his time at Westminster.

But 4 charges in addition will be heard in England as they are from his time at Westminster

Do you have a link for that?