Peter Murrell, former SNP chief executive, was sentenced to five years and three months in Edinburgh High Court for embezzling over £400,000 from the Scottish National Party. The guilty plea and sentencing by Lord Young on Tuesday ended a lengthy Police Scotland investigation into the misuse of party funds dating back 12 years.
Lavish Spending Exposed
The court heard how Murrell exploited his financial control of the SNP to cover a luxury lifestyle. His purchases included a £124,550 motorhome, two cars, designer cosmetics, jewellery, and Montblanc pens. Some expenses were disguised, such as a robotic lawnmower falsely recorded as “legal fees” and an expensive wine coaster labelled as “leadership expense.”
Complex Concealment Schemes
Prosecutors revealed Murrell concealed his thefts through cash transfers, party credit card misuse, fake expense claims, and falsified invoices with altered accounting codes. The fraud totalled £400,310.65 between August 2010 and October 2022.
Political Fallout And Resignation
Murrell, 61, who ran arrested-by-police-scotland-in-connection-with-an-ongoing-investigation-into-the-funding-and-finances-of-the-scottish-national-party/" title="Peter Murrell Arrested in Police Scotland Raid Over SNP Funding Probe">SNP administration for more than 20 years, resigned in March 2023 amid declining party membership. His arrest followed in April 2024 after a probe into missing crowdfunding donations. The case sent shockwaves through Scottish politics, with SNP leader John Swinney calling the fraud an “overwhelming betrayal” to supporters.
Personal And Public Impact
Murrell is the estranged husband of former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, who said she felt “deceived, misled and betrayed” after his guilty plea. The couple finalised their divorce in 2025. Sturgeon was arrested during the investigation but released without charge.
Snp Eyes Civil Action
The SNP plans civil proceedings to recover the stolen money following the financial breach exposed by Operation Branchform, aiming to rebuild trust with party members and supporters.
