Peter Murrell, the former chief executive of the Scottish National Party (SNP), has been sentenced to five years and three months in prison after embezzling over £400,000 from the party. The sentence was handed down by Lord Young at the High Court in Edinburgh on [date].
Details of the Embezzlement
Murrell, who is the estranged husband of former SNP leader and Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, pleaded guilty last month to embezzling a total of £400,310.65 between August 2010 and October 2022. The court heard that he used the funds to make hundreds of extravagant purchases, including a £124,550 motorhome, cars, jewellery, luxury homewares, and designer stationery.
Lord Young described the crime as a “calculated crime of dishonesty” involving a “large number of fraudulent acts over a 12-month 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.”
How the Fraud Was Carried Out
The court previously heard that Murrell’s role gave him direct access to the party’s main bank account, which held funds from “membership fees and donations paid by party members and other donors and legacies.” He also used multiple party “charge cards” and made false expense claims. To avoid detection, he gave his purchases “misleading descriptions and/or accounting codes” in the party’s finance system.
For example, a robotic lawnmower purchased for £3,070 was misdescribed as “legal fees,” while a silver wine coaster worth £3,500 was listed as “leadership expenses.”
Investigation and Aftermath
Murrell’s offending came to light after police began receiving complaints about potential mismanagement of the SNP’s finances in March 2021. This led to an investigation, during which police uncovered evidence of the embezzlement. The case has led to intense scrutiny for Nicola Sturgeon, who has denied knowing of her husband’s crimes, stating she was “deceived, misled and betrayed.”
Sturgeon was arrested and questioned as part of the police investigation, known as Operation Branchform, but Police Scotland confirmed she would face no action. She said she has been “completely exonerated” after a “two-year-long, very forensic police investigation.”
Legal Representation and Sentencing
Murrell’s lawyer, John Scullion KC, presented pleas in mitigation, telling the court: “For many months he has lived in almost total isolation.” He said his client accepted blame and had been “ostracised” by his former colleagues, becoming a “figure of public ridicule” as a result of his purchases.
Lord Young sentenced Murrell to a backdated term of five years and three months. The case has sparked widespread calls for inquiries into Murrell’s wrongdoing and the SNP’s financial management.
