Peter Murrell, the former chief executive of the Scottish National Party (SNP) and estranged husband of former first minister Nicola Sturgeon, will not appeal his five-year jail sentence for embezzlement. Murrell was sentenced in June to five years and three months in prison after admitting to siphoning more than £400,000 from the party over a 12-year period.
Murrell's solicitor, Matthew McGovern, confirmed on Tuesday that his client had decided against an appeal, which was his right for two weeks following the sentencing by Lord Young at the High Court in Edinburgh on June 23. During sentencing, Lord Young described Murrell's actions as a "calculated crime of dishonesty" that impacted the SNP and its donors. The judge noted that the offenses increased in frequency and amount over time, stating Murrell was "unable to stop" until the crime was detected.
The funds were used by Murrell for numerous personal purchases between August 2010 and October 2022, including a motorhome costing £124,550, cars, jewelry, luxury homewares, and designer stationery. The discovery of his crimes was reportedly triggered by inquiries into high-end purchases from brands like Le Creuset, which seemed incongruous given the SNP's reported financial struggles at the time. An examination of the party's charge card statements and accounting system by a detective revealed no record of these purchases, raising alarm bells.
Prosecutor Alan Cameron KC detailed Murrell's extensive spending during the court case, noting that the 24-foot motorhome had only four miles on the odometer when seized by police. Murrell also spent nearly £43,000 on Amazon, with many items delivered to the home he shared with Sturgeon. A silver wine coaster valued at £3,500 was listed as a "leadership expense."
Murrell's position within the SNP gave him direct access to the party's main bank account, which received membership fees, donations, and legacies. He exploited this access through direct cash transfers, multiple party charge cards, and false expense claims. To conceal his activities, he provided misleading descriptions and accounting codes for his purchases within the SNP's finance system.
Complaints about potential mismanagement of SNP finances in March 2021 prompted a police investigation that uncovered evidence of Murrell's crimes. His defense counsel, John Scullion KC, stated that Murrell has lived in near-total isolation for months since his guilty plea, has accepted blame, and recognizes the harm caused, feeling ostracized and becoming a "figure of public ridicule."
The case has intensified scrutiny on Nicola Sturgeon, who has maintained she was "deceived, misled and betrayed" and was "completely exonerated" by the two-year police investigation. The SNP has opposed calls for a Holyrood committee inquiry into the fallout from Murrell's case, despite an indication from Westminster's Scottish Affairs Committee of potential joint working on the issue.