Peter Murrell, estranged husband of former Scottish leader Nicola Sturgeon, pleaded guilty at Edinburgh High Court to embezzling more than £400,000 from the Scottish National Party. He served as the SNP’s chief executive from 2001 until 2023, when his arrest shocked the UK. Police investigated whether around £600,000 in donations intended for campaigning for Scottish independence were used for other purposes. Nicola Sturgeon was arrested as well but cleared of wrongdoing. Murrell was remanded in custody, with further court details scheduled for June 2 and sentencing set for June 23. He admitted using the money to buy a motorhome, two cars, and luxury goods.
"Peter Murrell, the estranged husband of formerScottish leader Nicola Sturgeon, on Monday, pleaded guilty to embezzling more than 400,000 ($540,000 or 464,000) from the Scottish National Party. Murrell was appointed as the Scottish National Party's (SNP) chief executive in 2001 and remained in the position until 2023, when his arrest shocked the UK. He was arrested as part of a police investigation into whether about 600,000 of donations for the SNP to campaign for Scottish independence may have been used for other purposes."
"Murrell, who is 61 years old, pleaded guilty at the High Court in Edinburgh and has been remanded in custody. He will appear in court again on June 2, when full details of his crimes will be disclosed in court. Murrell will be sentenced on June 23. He originally faced an embezzlement charge amounting to 459,000 but pleaded guilt to reduced charges in court."
"Murrell admitted he used the money to buy a motorhome, two cars and luxury goods. "By embezzling from the SNP, Peter Murrell was stealing the hopes, the dreams and the aspirations of thousands of people all over Scotland, people who gave what they could over many years in the hope that it would help contribute to a better country," SNP leader John Swinney said at a press conference. "I am horrified, I am betrayed.""
"The arrests of Nicola Sturgeon (seen here) and her husband at the time was deeply embarrassing for the pro-independence party which has dominated Scottish politics for the last two decades [FILE: April 2023]Image: Jane Barlow/empics/picture alliance Murrell appears in Edinburgh High Court. Sturgeon was herself arrested too but cleared of any wrongdoing. She announced her divorce from Murrell in January 2025."
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