Peter Murrell indictment raises questions over long-term financial controls

Peter Murrell, the former Chief Executive of the Scottish National Party (SNP), has been indicted on allegations that he embezzled £459,000 from party funds between August 2010 and January 2023.

According to the indictment, reported by BBC News, Mr Murrell is accused of using party funds to purchase items for his own personal use or for the benefit of others, including a motorhome, two vehicles and other high-value goods.

He is also alleged to have used credit or charge cards belonging to the SNP and to have entered false or inaccurate accounting descriptions into internal systems to record the spending.

The document lists 82 businesses to which funds were allegedly transferred and includes a detailed charge relating to the purchase of a motorhome costing £124,550 from a supplier in Stafford. The indictment claims the vehicle was later transported to Fife, close to the home of Mr Murrell’s mother.

Mr Murrell, who is the estranged husband of former SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon, made no plea when he appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court in March 2025.

He is due to appear at the High Court in Glasgow for a preliminary hearing on 20 February.

The indictment remains subject to change until court proceedings begin. The outcome of the case will depend on the evidence presented and any plea entered.

Roger Isaacs, National Technical Director of NIFA, comments, “This high-profile case is extraordinary for the apparent blatant nature of the alleged misappropriation.

It is unclear whether, if Murrell was guilty, he ever thought he would be able to get away with what he did.  As is often the case when funds are stolen, it is difficult to understand how the perpetrators thought that their theft would remain for ever unidentified.”

Sources: BBC News

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