Peter Murrell to be sentenced for embezzling £400,000 from SNP

Peter Murrell, the former chief executive of the Scottish National Party (SNP), is set to be sentenced after admitting to embezzling more than £400,000 from the party over a 12-year period. The 61-year-old used the substantial sum for numerous lavish purchases, including a £124,550 motorhome, several cars, jewelry, and high-end homewares.

Murrell also engaged in deceitful practices to conceal his actions, falsifying accounting records and creating fake invoices. The court heard that he made direct transfers from the party's main bank account, which was funded by membership fees and donations. He also misused multiple party "charge cards" and submitted false expense claims, even misrepresenting purchases like a robotic lawnmower as "legal fees" and a wine coaster as "leadership expenses" in the party's accounting software.

The embezzlement came to light in March 2021 when police began receiving complaints about potential financial mismanagement within the SNP. This triggered an investigation that uncovered evidence of Murrell's crimes. Murrell's guilty plea has intensified scrutiny on his former wife, Nicola Sturgeon, the former SNP leader. Sturgeon has denied any knowledge of his activities, stating she was "deceived, misled and betrayed." She was previously arrested and questioned as part of the "Operation Branchform" investigation into the SNP's finances but was later confirmed to face no action by Police Scotland.

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deceived, misled and betrayed