Peter Murrell, the former chief executive of the Scottish National Party and estranged husband of former leader Nicola Sturgeon, pleaded guilty on Monday at the High Court in Edinburgh to embezzling more than £400,000 from the party. Murrell admitted to diverting £400,310.65 between August 12, 2010, and January 13, 2023, to fund a lavish lifestyle.
The indictment revealed that Murrell used the funds to purchase luxury goods and vehicles, including a Jaguar, a motorhome, shoes, a luxury pen, and items from Harrods and Estee Lauder. Police Scotland's Assistant Chief Constable Stuart Houston stated that Murrell abused his privileged position and showed utter contempt for public trust to bankroll a lifestyle he could not afford.
The guilty plea follows a police probe into the SNP's finances, specifically concerning over £600,000 raised by independence campaigners in 2017 that was intended to be ring-fenced. The investigation led to the arrest of former first minister Nicola Sturgeon and former party treasurer Colin Beattie, though both were cleared of wrongdoing. Sturgeon, who served as first minister for eight years and refashioned the SNP into a dominant governing force, unexpectedly resigned in 2023.
Murrell was originally arrested in April 2023 and charged in April 2024. After admitting to the charges following a deal with prosecutors, he has been remanded in custody. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 23.