SNP Ex-Chief Pleads Guilty to £400,000 Theft
Peter Murrell ran the Scottish National Party for years. He pleaded guilty to stealing £400,310 from the party.
The original charges covered over £459,000. Murrell is the former husband of ex-SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon.
They announced in January 2025 that their marriage had ended. He will be held in custody until his sentencing on June 23.
Detectives and forensic accountants uncovered the theft. The case came from Operation Branchform, a police inquiry started in 2021 into SNP finances.
Murrell allegedly used party funds over 12 years between 2010 and 2022. Purchases reportedly included a £124,550 motorhome, luxury goods and two cars. The policing cost of the inquiry exceeded £2 million.
Klear Note — The SNP is Scotland's main political party. Operation Branchform is a police investigation into party finances that started in 2021.
Key Terms 4
- SNP Scottish National Party, a major political party in Scotland
- embezzling Secretly stealing money you were trusted to manage
- Operation Branchform Police inquiry started in 2021 into SNP party finances
- forensic accountants Experts who examine financial records to find fraud or theft