Peter Murrell, the former chief executive of the Scottish National Party (SNP), was taken into custody on Monday after admitting to embezzling more than £400,000 from the party over a 12-year period. The 61-year-old, who is the estranged husband of former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, appeared at the High Court in Edinburgh and pleaded guilty to a charge of embezzlement.
Details of the Embezzlement
Murrell admitted to misappropriating £400,310.65 of SNP funds between 2010 and 2022, beginning just weeks after his marriage to Sturgeon. The stolen money was used to fund a lavish lifestyle, including luxury vehicles, watches, and household items. Among the purchases were a Volkswagen Golf in 2016 (£16,400), a Jaguar I-Pace in 2020 (£57,500), four coffee machines worth between £1,299 and £3,231 each, Lalique salt and pepper grinders (£2,600), two Bremont watches (over £4,500 each), and thousands of pounds worth of Mont Blanc pens.
Prosecutor Alan Cameron KC detailed how Murrell created false invoices and accounting entries to conceal the purchases, particularly for a motorhome bought in 2020, which was kept at properties linked to family members. The embezzlement also included spending at retailers such as John Lewis, Dyson, Selfridges, and Molton Brown, as well as a £30 personal parking fine paid with party funds. Murrell even sold an SNP-owned iPad Pro and pocketed the £701 proceeds.
Court Proceedings and Sentencing
Murrell arrived at court early Monday with a bag of personal items. After amendments to the charge, he entered his guilty plea at 10:37 AM. Judge Lord Young remanded him in custody, stating, "Over a 12-year period you embezzled over £400,000 from the SNP. As chief executive of that organisation over that period, your actions were a gross breach of trust." A background report has been ordered, and Murrell will be sentenced on June 23. The Crown also intends to pursue proceeds of crime legislation to recover the stolen funds.
Nicola Sturgeon's Response
Following Murrell's remand, Nicola Sturgeon issued a statement via Instagram, expressing anger, hurt, and distress. She claimed she was deceived by her husband and had no knowledge of his actions. "To be deceived and let down by a husband I loved and trusted has caused me acute pain. Why he acted as he did is, and always will be, beyond my comprehension," she wrote. Sturgeon, who was arrested and questioned in 2023 but never charged, reiterated her innocence through lawyer Aamer Anwar, stating she was "not aware" of the purchases and only learned of the motorhome when it featured in the police investigation in early 2023.
Political Reactions
Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay criticised Sturgeon's claims of ignorance, calling it "preposterous" and noting that the embezzlement occurred "right under her nose." Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie described the fraud as "large-scale" and said it was "inconceivable" that Sturgeon knew nothing. Former SNP MP Joanna Cherry KC, who had raised concerns about party finances, said Murrell "wouldn't have got away with it" if scrutiny mechanisms had not been frustrated by Sturgeon and others on the National Executive Committee.
Police Statement
Assistant Chief Constable Stuart Houston, leading Operation Branchform, stated that Murrell abused his position to "bankroll the lavish lifestyle he craved but could not afford." He added that Murrell showed "utter contempt" for the public trust placed in him and carefully hid his criminality with false receipts and accounting. Houston declined to comment on what others close to Murrell may have known.
