Peter Murrell pleads guilty to embezzling £400k from SNP

Peter Murrell, the former chief executive of the Scottish National Party and estranged husband of former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, pleaded guilty on Monday to embezzling hundreds of thousands of pounds from the party over a 12-year period. Murrell, 61, appeared at the High Court in Edinburgh, where he admitted to diverting approximately £400,000 of SNP funds for his personal use between August 2010 and October 2022. Judge Lord Young remanded him in custody, setting sentencing for June 23, and described Murrell’s actions as a gross breach of trust.

The embezzlement, which totaled £400,310.65 according to court records, funded a range of luxury personal purchases. Among them was a motorhome bought in 2020 for £124,550, as well as a £81,000 Jaguar I-Pace and a Volkswagen Golf, both purchased in part with party money. Investigators said Murrell used false receipts and accounting to conceal his spending. He arrived at court wearing a dark suit and was led away in handcuffs after the hearing.

Assistant Chief Constable Stuart Houston, who led Police Scotland’s Operation Branchform investigation, released a statement saying Murrell had “shown utter contempt for the high public...