Prosecutors have detailed how Peter Murrell, the estranged husband of former Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, embezzled more than £400,000 ($540,000) from the Scottish National Party (SNP) to fund a lavish personal spending spree, including motorhomes, luxury watches, and hundreds of Amazon purchases.
Murrell, 61, the former SNP chief executive, appeared at the High Court in Edinburgh on Tuesday, where prosecutor Alan Cameron outlined how he stole funds from the party's main bank account. Murrell created fake invoices and falsified accounting records to conceal the theft, which spanned from 2010 to 2022.
Court documents revealed a wide array of items purchased with embezzled money, ranging from luxury goods to everyday household items. Among the notable purchases were a motorhome, two cars, designer watches, crystal glassware, and even a robotic lawnmower. Murrell allegedly disguised the lawnmower as a “legal fee” in the party's financial records.
Key Purchases Detailed by Prosecutors
- Motorhome: £167,816, described as a “van” in invoices, never used by party members.
- Luxury leather goods: £33,010 spent at London retailer Smythson.
- Silver wine coaster: £4,716, falsely recorded as “leadership expenses.”
- Bremont watches: £12,598 for two luxury watches, listed as “event merchandise.”
- Salt and pepper grinders: £3,527 from Lalique.
- Amazon purchases: 383 transactions totalling £57,474, including PlayStation and Nintendo consoles, a Super Mario game, knife sets, kitchenware, and Montblanc fountain pens.
- Cars: A Volkswagen Golf in 2016 (£22,220) and later a Jaguar, with proceeds from the sale pocketed (£63,844).
Murrell pleaded guilty to embezzlement last week. Sturgeon, who led the SNP for a decade, has denied any wrongdoing, stating she was “deceived, misled and betrayed.” The couple announced their divorce last year. Sturgeon was arrested in 2023 but later cleared. Sentencing for Murrell is expected later this month.
