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 more than £400,000 from the party. The sentence was handed down by Lord Young at the High Court in Edinburgh, where Murrell appeared in the dock shortly after 9.30am.
Judge condemns 'calculated crime of dishonesty'
Lord Young described Murrell's actions 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”. The judge noted that the offending increased in frequency and amount over time, stating: “You found yourself unable to stop this offending, and it was only the detection of the crime that brought it to an end.”
Murrell's lawyer, John Scullion KC, presented pleas in mitigation, telling the court that Murrell had lived “in almost total isolation” for many months. Scullion said Murrell accepted blame and had been “ostracised” by former colleagues, becoming a “figure of public ridicule” as a result of his purchases.
Details of the embezzlement
Last month, Murrell pleaded guilty to embezzling a total of £400,310.65 over a 12-year period between August 2010 and October 2022. He used the funds to make hundreds of extravagant purchases, including a £124,550 motorhome, cars, jewellery, luxury homewares, and designer stationery. The court previously heard that Murrell's role enabled him to make direct transfers of cash from the party’s main bank account, which held funds from membership fees and donations. He also used multiple party charge cards and made false expense claims.
To avoid suspicion, Murrell gave his purchases “misleading descriptions and/or accounting codes” in the party’s finance system, to which he had direct access. For example, a robotic lawnmower purchased for £3,070 was misdescribed as “legal fees”, and a silver wine coaster worth £3,500 was listed as “leadership expenses”.
Investigation and fallout
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 Murrell's embezzlement. The case has also drawn intense scrutiny for his former wife, Nicola Sturgeon, who has denied knowing of his crimes, saying she was “deceived, misled and betrayed”. Sturgeon, the former SNP leader, said she has been “completely exonerated” after a “two-year-long, very forensic police investigation” which saw police officers search the home she and Murrell had shared. She was arrested and questioned as part of Operation Branchform, but Police Scotland confirmed she would face no action.
Calls for inquiries
The case has led to widespread calls for inquiries into Murrell's wrongdoing. The sentence is backdated to account for time already served.
