Peter Murrell, former chief executive of the Scottish National Party (SNP), has been sentenced to five years and three months in prison after embezzling £400,310.65 from the party over a 12-year period. The sentence was handed down by Lord Young at the High Court in Edinburgh.
Judge's condemnation and details of the crime
Lord Young described Murrell's actions as a 'calculated crime of dishonesty', involving 'a large number of fraudulent acts over a 12-year period while you were chief executive officer of the SNP'. He noted that the offending increased in frequency and amount over time, adding: 'You found yourself unable to stop this offending, and it was only the detection of the crime that brought it to an end.'
Murrell, the estranged husband of former SNP leader and Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, used the embezzled funds for extravagant personal purchases. These included a £124,550 motorhome, cars, jewellery, luxury homewares, and designer stationery. He also purchased a robotic lawnmower for £3,070, which was falsely described as 'legal fees' in the party's accounting software, and a silver wine coaster worth £3,500, listed as 'leadership expenses'.
How the embezzlement was carried out
The court heard that Murrell's role as chief executive allowed him to make direct transfers from the SNP's main bank account, which contained membership fees, donations, and legacies. He also used multiple party charge cards and submitted false expense claims. To avoid detection, he gave purchases misleading descriptions and accounting codes in the party's finance system, to which he had direct access.
The offending spanned from August 2010 to October 2022, coming to light after police received complaints about potential mismanagement of SNP finances in March 2021. An investigation uncovered evidence of Murrell's embezzlement, leading to his arrest.
Mitigation and impact on Murrell
Murrell's lawyer, John Scullion KC, presented pleas in mitigation, telling the court that Murrell had lived 'in almost total isolation' for many months. He said his client accepted blame and had been 'ostracised' by former colleagues, becoming a 'figure of public ridicule' due to his purchases.
Fallout for Nicola Sturgeon
Murrell's guilty plea has intensified scrutiny on Nicola Sturgeon, who has denied any knowledge of his crimes, stating she was 'deceived, misled and betrayed'. She said she felt 'completely exonerated' after a two-year police investigation, which included a search of the home she shared with Murrell. Sturgeon was arrested and questioned as part of Operation Branchform, but Police Scotland confirmed she would face no action.
The case has prompted widespread calls for inquiries into Murrell's wrongdoing and the SNP's financial oversight.
