A Dunfermline resident has publicly challenged Nicola Sturgeon’s insistence that she was unaware of a £125,000 campervan bought by her estranged husband, Peter Murrell, using stolen SNP funds. Murrell, former SNP chief executive, pleaded guilty on Monday to embezzling more than £400,000 from the party between 2010 and 2022. The campervan was reportedly parked for two years at Sturgeon’s mother-in-law’s home in Dunfermline before its seizure in April 2023.
Local Witness Speaks Out
Ryan-Thomas Quinn, 18, told The Telegraph he spotted Nicola Sturgeon shopping at an Asda supermarket near her mother-in-law’s house during autumn 2022 — the same time the campervan was parked on the nearby driveway. “I find it unbelievable she didn’t ask where the campervan came from,” said Quinn, a journalism student and Labour activist.
Campervan Hidden In Plain Sight
The motorhome was constantly parked outside Margaret Murrell’s bungalow in Dunfermline, according to Quinn, who regularly walked past. Sturgeon’s legal team did not deny her visit to Dunfermline but suggested the campervan’s location, parked between two properties, made it less visible from the front.
Sturgeon Maintains No Knowledge
Sturgeon insists she had no knowledge of the campervan or other items bought with party funds. Through her lawyer, she emphasised she was cleared of wrongdoing after a thorough investigation, and stated that she and Murrell maintained separate finances with no shared access to bank accounts.
Luxury Items From Stolen Funds
Court papers listed lavish purchases made with the stolen funds, including the campervan, £2,600 Lalique salt and pepper grinders, Fortnum and Mason advent calendars, and a £425 necklace Sturgeon was seen wearing in summer 2019. Murrell reportedly boasted to a jeweller, “I’m the man with the money,” when buying the gold pendant inspired by the Northern Lights.
Marriage Ends Amid Scandal
Nicola Sturgeon and Peter Murrell announced their decision to end their marriage in January 2025 amid the ongoing fallout from the embezzlement case.
