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A civil servant has told a court it was like "wrestling with an octopus" when Alex Salmond grabbed her while trying to recreate a "sexualised" image on a Christmas card.

Salmond, the former first minister of Scotland, faces 14 charges of alleged offences against 10 women.

The 65-year-old denies all of the charges.

A civil servant in the Scottish government told the High Court in Edinburgh on Monday she was assaulted by Salmond following a meeting in Bute House - the first minister's official residence - in 2010.

The jury was shown an image of a Christmas card design, featuring a man and a woman about to kiss beneath the mistletoe.

The prosecution witness, known as Woman B, said: "There (were) two individuals on the Christmas card - the older male, taller with glasses and a younger female, who was quite scantily clad.

"I didn't think the image was appropriate. It showed the female leaning up to kiss the gentleman.

"I didn't think it was an appropriate image for the first minister and his wife to send out."

The civil servant said she raised her reservations with Salmond and others at the meeting.

She explained: "My view was that the picture was too sexualised for him to send out."

All those at the meeting agreed the image was inappropriate, the court heard.

The civil servant said she was later assaulted by Salmond when she was left alone in the room with him.

She said: "He immediately just said 'let's recreate the pose on the Christmas card'.

"He grabbed my wrists and pulled me towards him and I was just shocked.

"I used my hands to try to get him off."

But the woman said she did not succeed, adding: "It felt like every time I managed to get a hand off another hand would appear.

"He was very persistent and it felt like I was wrestling with an octopus. I felt like there was always another hand."

Woman B said she said or did nothing to give the impression she wanted it to happen and did not consent.

She said: "I felt quite alarmed, I wanted it to stop.

"I didn't say anything. I was trying to get his hands off me, but I couldn't get my voice."

She told the jury the alleged assault ended when a colleague came to the door.

Woman B said she spoke to her line manager about the incident but added: "I didn't think there was really an option to take things further at that time within the Scottish government because of the relationship between the civil service and the first minister.

"I felt that if I had complained formally, then I would be the problem and I would be moved and I had worked really hard."

Shelagh McCall QC, representing Salmond, suggested her client had been in a "playful mood" on the evening of the incident and asked if Woman B would describe the incident as "hijinks".

The woman replied: "I would say it was...at night, in an empty room at Bute House. I don't think that can be described as hijinks. I certainly didn't take it that way."

Salmond is on trial over accusations of sexual assault, including an attempted rape, spanning a period between June 2008 and November 2014.

The trial continues.