Alex Salmond has been cleared of attempted rape and a series of sexual assaults, including one with intent to rape, after a trial at the High Court in Edinburgh.
The former first minister was found not guilty on 12 charges by a jury, with a charge of assault with intent to rape found not proven.
Mr Salmond showed little emotion as the verdicts were read out.
He turned to the two court security officers and said “thank you” to each of them.
Judge Lady Dorrian discharged Salmond and he said: “Thank you my lady,” before leaving the courtroom.
Speaking to the media outside the court, Mr Salmond said his faith in the Scottish legal system has been vindicated.
He thanked family, friends and his legal team for their support, and for those who had sent him messages.
He said there was other evidence he would have liked to have seen led in court, and that it would come to light at some point.
But, due to the ongoing coronavirus crisis, he said that today was not the day for that.
Mr Salmond added that he’s been living a “nightmare” but said that the whole country is living a bigger nightmare, referring to the pandemic.
He urged gathered reporters to go home and look after their families, and ended his statement with: “God help us all”.
Mr Salmond was found not guilty of indecent assault of a woman, known as Woman A, on various occasions in June and July 2008 in Glasgow by kissing her on the mouth and touching her buttocks and breast with his hands over her clothing.
He was found not guilty of sexual assault of the same woman on an occasion in December 2010 at a nightclub in Edinburgh, by touching her arms, breasts and hips with his hands over her clothing.
Mr Salmond was found not guilty of indecent assault of a woman, known as Woman B, on an occasion between October and November 2010 at Bute House in Edinburgh by repeatedly seizing her by her wrists and repeatedly pulling her towards him and attempting to kiss her.
He was found not guilty of sexual assault of a woman, known as Woman C, in a car travelling between Holyrood Road and Waverley Station in Edinburgh on an occasion in February 2011 by touching her leg with his hand over her clothing.
He was also found not guilty of sexual assault of a woman, known as Woman D, on various occasions between May 2011 and June 2013 at Bute House, at the Scottish Parliament and elsewhere by touching her buttocks with his hands over her clothing, and touching and stroking her hair.
The jury returned a not proven verdict after Mr Salmond was accused of sexually assaulting a woman with intent to rape on an occasion in December 2013 at Bute House, Edinburgh, by causing her to sit on a bed, lie on top of her, make sexual remarks to her, touch her buttocks, thighs and breasts over her clothing with his hands, repeatedly kiss her face, struggle with her and pull up her dress.
He was found not guilty of sexually assaulting the same woman, known as Woman F, on an occasion between November and December 2013 at the same place by kissing her on the mouth.
Speaking outside court Mr Salmond said: “There is certain evidence that I would have liked to have seen led in this trial but for a variety of reasons we were not able to do so.
“Those facts will see the light but it won’t be this day.”
He said: “I’d like to thank my friends and family for standing by me over the last two years.”
He also thanked those who have sent him messages, his “brilliant” legal team and the court service who he said have been “courteous beyond limit”.
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