Nicola Sturgeon’s estranged husband has been remanded in custody after he admitted to embezzling over £400,000 from the Scottish National Party (SNP).
The party’s former chief executive, Peter Murrell, pleaded guilty to the charges 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.
Arriving at the High Court wearing a black suit with a black tie, Mr Murrell admitted an amended indictment which reduced the amount of the embezzled money from more than £459,000.
The 61-year-old admitted to using the SNP’s money to buy items, including a motorhome and luxury goods, and putting it towards the purchase of two cars.
In a statement on Monday, Ms Sturgeon said she had been “deceived and let down” by her former husband, saying the case was a “profound personal trauma.”
“My reaction to the guilty plea tendered today by my former husband is 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 wrote in a statement shared on social media.
“To be deceived and let down by a husband I loved and trusted has caused me acute pain. Why he acted as he did is, and always will be, beyond my comprehension.
“To be clear: I had no knowledge or suspicion whatsoever that he was using SNP funds for personal purposes. I am utterly appalled that he did so and cannot begin to understand why. That I was fully cleared after a thorough investigation underlines that these are not my crimes. I was misled just as others were.
“I know that there will be political discussion in light of what has happened, and I understand why. However, for me this has also been a profound personal trauma. I need to remain focused on recovering from that and building a new phase of life. I will be making no further comment.”
Assistant Chief Constable Stuart Houston said Mr Murrell had shown “utter contempt for the high public trust placed in him”.
“This was a lengthy and extremely complex case due to the scale of criminality over a 12-year period and the lengths Peter Murrell went to try and cover his tracks,” he said.
“He abused his privileged position with access to Scottish National Party funds to divert cash into his own accounts and bankroll the lavish lifestyle he craved but could not afford.
“From 2010 to 2022, he spent hundreds of thousands of pounds on luxury goods while carefully trying to hide his criminality with false receipts and accounting. He must now face the consequences of his actions.”
Until he stood down in 2023 during the leadership race to succeed Ms Sturgeon, Mr Murrell had been chief executive of the SNP for more than 20 years.
Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie insisted the plea “does not put the issue to bed”, as she called on the current SNP leader, John Swinney, to further address the case.
“It is inconceivable that Nicola Sturgeon knew nothing about the large-scale fraud, which she benefited from, taking place under her nose in both her party and her home,” she said.
“It was Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP party machine that attempted to close ranks and shut down scrutiny when questions about the finances started to emerge, and we need to know why.
“John Swinney needs to come clean and explain what he knew and what the party knew.
“There should be a review into why the hearing was delayed until after the election and why the public were denied the truth until the timing was more convenient for the SNP. The rotten culture of sleaze, scandal and secrecy in the SNP needs to end – it’s time for the truth.”
In January last year, Ms Sturgeon announced that she and Mr Murrell had “decided to end” their marriage.
The former SNP leader said at the time: “With a heavy heart, I am confirming that Peter and I have decided to end our marriage. To all intents and purposes, we have been separated for some time now and feel it is time to bring others up to speed with where we are.”
They had previously been one of the most powerful couples in UK politics for many years, with Ms Sturgeon serving for more than eight years as Scottish first minister and SNP leader, while Mr Murrell was the chief executive of the party.
Questions were raised at the time about the close working and personal relationship between husband and wife, but they insisted there was a strict division of power within the party’s governance.
During the latter years of Ms Sturgeon’s leadership, some within the SNP had complained of a lack of transparency around the party’s finances.
In June 2021, the then first minister said she was “not concerned” about the finances despite two high-profile resignations.
Then, in July 2021, Police Scotland said it was opening an investigation after seven complaints were made in relation to SNP donations.
The former party boss was first arrested in April 2023 as part of the police investigation and was charged in April 2024.
He appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court in March 2025, where he faced a charge of embezzlement, making no plea.
The indictment included allegations that in 2020, Mr Murrell used party funds to buy a £124,550 motorhome for his own personal use.
Mr Murrell’s conviction is the result of a police investigation called Operation Branchform, which was first launched in 2021. The operation investigated the SNP’s funding and finances and involved several high-profile arrests. The policing cost of the long-running investigation reached more than £2m.
Sentencing is due to take place on 23 June, and Mr Murrell has been remanded in custody until then.
