Peter Murrell, the former chief executive of the Scottish National Party (SNP), has been remanded in custody after pleading guilty to embezzling £400,310.65 from the party.
Murrell, who is the estranged husband of former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, appeared at the High Court in Edinburgh on Monday morning to admit the charges which cover the period between 2010 and October 2022.
The court heard that Murrell, 61, used party funds for personal luxury purchases including a £124,550 motorhome, two cars, jewellery and high-end cosmetics.
This admission followed a deal with prosecutors that saw approximately £60,000 in previous allegations removed from the indictment.
Following the plea, Judge Lord Young described Murrell’s actions as a “gross breach of trust.”
The case concludes a long-running police investigation into the SNP’s finances which first led to Murrell’s arrest in April 2023.
Having been held in custody, he is scheduled to reappear ahead of his sentencing later in June.
The development marks a significant moment in Scottish politics involving the man who led the party’s operations for over two decades.
