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 £400,310.65 from the party. The sentence was handed down by Lord Young at the High Court in Edinburgh.
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-year period while you were chief executive officer of the SNP.” The judge 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.”
Murrell, who is the estranged husband of former SNP leader and Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, pleaded guilty last month to embezzling the funds between August 2010 and October 2022. The court heard that he used the money for hundreds of extravagant purchases, including a £124,550 motorhome, cars, jewellery, luxury homewares, and designer stationery.
Details of the Embezzlement
Murrell’s role as chief executive 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 costing £3,070 was misdescribed as “legal fees,” and a silver wine coaster worth £3,500 was recorded as “leadership expenses.”
Investigation and Aftermath
Murrell’s offending came to light after police received complaints about potential mismanagement of SNP finances in March 2021. The resulting investigation uncovered evidence of the embezzlement. Murrell’s guilty plea has led to intense scrutiny of his former wife, Nicola Sturgeon, who has denied knowing of his crimes, stating she was “deceived, misled and betrayed.” Sturgeon was arrested and questioned as part of Operation Branchform, the police investigation into SNP finances, but Police Scotland confirmed she would face no action.
In mitigation, Murrell’s lawyer, John Scullion KC, told the court that his client had lived “in almost total isolation” for many months, had been “ostracised” by former colleagues, and had become a “figure of public ridicule.” The case has prompted widespread calls for inquiries into Murrell’s wrongdoing.
