Peter Murrell, the former chief executive of the Scottish National Party (SNP) and ex-husband of Nicola Sturgeon, has pleaded guilty to embezzling £400,310.65 from the party over a 12-year period. The admission came at the High Court in Edinburgh on Monday, where he was remanded in custody and now faces a lengthy prison sentence, with sentencing scheduled for 23 June.
Murrell used the stolen funds to finance a lavish personal lifestyle, purchasing items including a luxury motor home, a Jaguar SUV, a VW Golf, boutique cosmetics, iPads, and a Lalique Feuilles salt and pepper set worth £2,618. The court heard that the embezzlement occurred between 2010 and 2022, during which time he was married to Nicola Sturgeon, the former SNP leader and First Minister of Scotland.
Lord Young, presiding over the case, described Murrell's actions as a 'gross breach of trust'. Murrell, dressed in a dark blue suit and black tie, was led away in handcuffs after being remanded. He had reached a deal with prosecutors to avoid a lengthy trial.
In response, Nicola Sturgeon issued a statement on Instagram denying any knowledge or suspicion of the thefts, stating, 'I am utterly appalled that he did so and cannot begin to understand why. These are not my crimes. I was misled just as others were.' Current SNP leader John Swinney also expressed deep betrayal, fighting back tears during a press conference as he described feeling 'gutted' and 'horrified' by Murrell's actions.
Political opponents, including Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay and Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie, questioned the credibility of Sturgeon and Swinney's denials. Baillie called on Swinney to provide compensation to SNP members whose donations were stolen.
The case has rocked the SNP, which Murrell helped lead to historic election victories, including the 2007 Holyrood win and the 2011 landslide that led to the Scottish independence referendum. The party has since tightened its financial controls.
