Peter Murrell, estranged husband of former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, will appear at Glasgow High Court on Friday 20 February for a preliminary hearing on charges he embezzled £459,000 from the SNP over more than a decade.
An indictment seen by BBC News alleges the former party chief executive made purchases totalling over £159,000 at more than 80 retailers between December 2014 and 2022 using SNP credit or charge cards “for your own personal use or the personal use of others.” The list ranges from Harrods, the Royal Mint and John Lewis to Homebase and Argos.
Murrell, 60, is further accused of spending over £81,600 through Amazon using the same method, with prosecutors claiming he inserted “false or inaccurate accounting codes and descriptions” into accounting systems to disguise the nature of the purchases.
The indictment details allegations involving three vehicles purchased with party funds. Murrell allegedly used £57,500 of SNP money towards an £81,000 Jaguar I-PACE car in 2019, then falsified an invoice “in an attempt to disguise the true nature” of that purchase. When the Jaguar was sold in 2021, more than £47,000 allegedly went into his personal bank account.
Prosecutors claim Murrell bought a £124,550 motorhome “for your own personal use” from a Staffordshire dealer and created false documentation “to portray the purchase as a legitimate party expense.” He is also alleged to have embezzled £16,489 from the SNP as part payment for a £33,000 Volkswagen Golf purchased in Newbridge, Edinburgh in 2016.
The charges cover alleged embezzlement totalling £459,000 between August 2010 and January 2023. Items Murrell is accused of illicitly purchasing include luxury goods, jewellery and cosmetics alongside the vehicles.
Murrell held the SNP chief executive position for 22 years before his arrest in 2023 as part of Operation Branchform, a police investigation into the party’s funding and finances. He was charged with embezzlement in April 2024.
The former party official made no plea during an initial appearance at Edinburgh Sheriff Court last year and was granted bail. The indictment papers seen by BBC News are subject to change until Murrell appears in court and can be altered throughout the judicial process. Details were first published in the Scottish Sun.
Sturgeon was also questioned by detectives investigating SNP finances but police have since confirmed the former First Minister is no longer under investigation. She married Murrell in 2010 but announced their separation in January 2025.
The preliminary hearing on 20 February will address procedural matters before any trial proceeds. Such hearings typically establish timelines, consider legal arguments and determine whether the case will proceed to a full trial at the High Court.
If the case advances beyond the preliminary stage, Murrell would face trial on the embezzlement charge with potential sentencing to follow upon any conviction. The High Court in Glasgow handles serious criminal cases including those involving substantial financial fraud allegations.
