Police Scotland have concluded their assessment of the accounts of pro-independence campaign group Yes Scotland and found no criminality, following allegations of a missing £1.5 million.
The probe was launched earlier this year into the group and its former chief executive, Blair Jenkins. The group, which campaigned for independence in the 2014 referendum, handed over its full accounts to officers in July after a complaint was made about its finances.
Complaint and allegations
Campaigners Sean Clerkin and David Hendry contacted Police Scotland over the summer, raising concerns that former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell – who has been jailed for embezzling more than £400,000 from the party – may have had access to Yes Scotland cash.
Mr Clerkin, whose complaints sparked the Operation Branchform investigation into SNP funds, said at the time that Murrell “had very close control over all the donations that were coming into Yes Scotland”. There were also allegations that £1.5 million was “missing” from the organisation’s accounts.
Police conclusion
Police have now assessed the complaint and the campaign group's accounts and have concluded there is nothing further to investigate.
A Police Scotland spokesperson said on Friday: “We received information which was assessed and nothing was identified which would warrant further investigation.”
Response from Blair Jenkins
Solicitor Aamer Anwar, who acts for Mr Jenkins, said on Friday that Police Scotland’s cybercrime and fraud unit has concluded its assessment in relation to the finances of Yes Scotland and Mr Jenkins. “They confirmed that they have not identified any criminality and there is now no further police investigation,” Mr Anwar said.
In July, Mr Anwar said allegations were raised that £1.5 million was “missing” from the Yes Scotland accounts for 2013, but he said it was based on a “very basic misunderstanding of accounts”. He added: “What followed was a desperate attempt to link Peter Murrell’s criminal conduct to the financial affairs of Yes Scotland Ltd. Mr Jenkins is grateful to Police Scotland but is sorry they were forced to waste valuable resources and time on such spurious and unfounded allegations.”
