Nicola Sturgeon issues statement over estranged husband's embezzlement

Peter Murrell, former chief executive of the Scottish National Party, pleaded guilty in Edinburgh High Court to embezzling 400,310.65 between August 2010 and October 2022. The amended indictment reduced the amount from more than 459,000. Nicola Sturgeon, his former wife and former Scottish first minister, said she felt angry, hurt, sad, and very distressed after learning of the impact of his actions on family, friends, and the SNP. She said she had no knowledge or suspicion that SNP funds were used for personal purposes and described being deceived by a husband she loved and trusted as causing acute pain. She said she was cleared after a thorough investigation and that the matter remains both political and personally traumatic.

"Peter Murrell, the party's former chief executive, pleaded guilty when he appeared in the High Court in Edinburgh on Monday morning. He was charged with embezzling 400,310.65 between August 2010 and October 2022, during part of his 22-year tenure as chief executive of the party. Murrell admitted an amended indictment, which reduced the amount of the embezzled money down from more than 459,000."

"In a statement posted on social media on Monday, Ms Sturgeon, who stepped down as an MSP before the Holyrood election earlier this month, said her reaction was difficult to put into words. I am angry, hurt, sad and very distressed about the impact of his actions on family, friends and the SNP, she said. To be deceived and let down by a husband I loved and trusted has caused me acute pain."

"Ms Sturgeon said she had no knowledge or suspicion whatsoever that he was using SNP funds for personal purposes, adding that she was utterly appalled by his actions. She continued: That I was fully cleared after a thorough investigation underlines that these are not my crimes. I was misled, just as others were."

"The former SNP leader accepted there would be a political discussion in the light of what has happened but said that for her this has also been a profound personal trauma. Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie insisted the plea does not put the issue to bed as she called on current SNP leader John Swinney to further address the case."

Read at www.independent.co.uk