Alex Salmond has accused the BBC of making “constant attempts to re-try” allegations of sexual assault, of which he was acquitted.
Scotland’s Alba Party leader hit out during an at-times tense interview by the BBC’s The Nine programme, broadcast on Wednesday.
He was asked by presenter Rebecca Curran: “Nicola Sturgeon and other party leaders have expressed concerns you might not be fit for office.
“You want voters to judge you, to decide, so what are they voting for?
“Are they voting for a man who thinks it’s OK to go to bed for what you described yourself as a ‘sleepy cuddle’ with a staff member half your age in the first minister’s residence, or are they voting for a man who thinks that is not OK?”
Mr Salmond, 66, said: “I think most fair-minded people in Scotland believe once a jury has decided, then the case is over.
“Most fair-minded people don’t appreciate the constant attempts by the BBC to re-try the case.
“I made my position absolutely clear in the trial, the jury heard all the evidence and came to a conclusion.
“The case was heard, I was found innocent, it is now time to move on. And Alba is moving on to discuss the future of Scotland.
“As far as the other party leaders are concerned, in this campaign I’m talking about the national, not the personal, and I think both participants and commentators on the campaign would do very well to follow that.”
Last March Mr Salmond was cleared of sexually assaulting nine women following an 11-day trial at the High Court in Edinburgh.
He was found not guilty on 12 charges and one charge of sexual assault was found not proven.
