Nicola Sturgeon has said her plans for a potential second Scottish independence referendum have not been altered by Alex Salmond's criminal case.

The First Minister said the cause of Scottish independence is "bigger than any one individual" and declared her predecessor's legal troubles have "no impact on the question of Scotland's future".

She has previously vowed to give her thoughts on the next steps for a fresh independence push in a "matter of weeks".

But a report in the Sunday Times suggested some SNP sources feel the case against Salmond "calls into question any prospect of calling a second independence referendum any time soon".

The former first minister is facing 14 criminal charges, including two for attempted rape and nine for sexual assault.

Speaking to STV News, Sturgeon reiterated that she could not comment on the charges due to the live legal proceedings against Salmond.

Asked if the revelations altered the timetable around her plans for a possible new independence vote, the First Minister answered: "No."

She continued: "This has no impact on the question of Scotland's future, which is, of course, bigger than any one individual.

"I will set out my views within the next weeks as I've said before and that will be a judgement based on what is right for Scotland.

"The case for decisions being made here in Scotland, rather than allowing big decisions about our country to be made in Westminster, I think have been strengthened by the experience of Brexit.

"Because these decisions are taken in Westminster right now, we face exit from the EU against our will, with all of the damaging consequences of that."

But The Times quoted a "senior SNP figure" as saying: "This week changes everything... the story is just too big not to have an impact on what the leadership wants to do."

A "prominent SNP MSP" is also reported as telling the paper: "It calls into question any prospect of calling a second independence referendum any time soon."

The First Minister refused to confirm if she had a date in her mind for when she will set out her independence plans.

She told STV: "There is still a lot of water to go under the bridge in terms of Westminster's decisions on Brexit over the next couple of weeks, the next few weeks.

"It's important that I reflect on that and look at what happens, what direction Westminster decides to take, and it's only at that stage that I will make that decision."

The House of Commons will hold a vote on Tuesday on Theresa May's "plan B" for EU withdrawal after her Brexit deal was heavily defeated earlier this month.