LONDON — The former chief executive of the Scottish National Party has been handed a prison sentence of just over five years after confessing to stealing hundreds of thousands of pounds from the political organization he once led.
Peter Murrell was sentenced to five years and three months at Edinburgh High Court on Tuesday, following his guilty plea last month to charges of embezzling £400,310.65 — roughly $540,000 — in SNP funds. The stolen money was spent on multiple vehicles, a motorhome, and high-end products from luxury brands including Estee Lauder and Harrods.
Presiding judge Andrew Young stated that the sentence was intended to send a clear message, saying it needed to serve as a deterrent to others.
Murrell is the former husband of Nicola Sturgeon, who served as the SNP’s longest-tenured leader before abruptly stepping down in 2023. Shortly after her resignation, Sturgeon was arrested as part of a broader investigation into the party’s finances. She was ultimately cleared of any wrongdoing in March of last year.
Following Murrell’s guilty plea, Sturgeon publicly reaffirmed her innocence, stating that she had “no knowledge or suspicion whatsoever that he was using SNP funds for personal purposes.”
The scandal — which involved the arrest of a former party leader and the conviction of her ex-husband — has raised deeply uncomfortable questions for the SNP, a party that has held a dominant position in Scottish politics for close to twenty years.
