Peter Murrell Used £400,000 SNP Theft on Luxury Goods, With Most Funds Still Missing
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · Jun 2
Peter Murrell Used £400,000 SNP Theft on Luxury Goods, With Most Funds Still Missing
3 articles · Updated · BBC.com · Jun 2
Court details showed Peter Murrell disguised personal purchases in SNP accounts, including £9,350.25 for two Bremont watches logged as “event merchandise” and a £23.98 egg poacher entered as “ethernet cabling.”
Police linked several items to the home he shared with Nicola Sturgeon, including a £3,500 silver wine coaster, while stolen party money also paid for a fitted library, a boiler kitchen unit and hallway mats.
Most of the embezzled proceeds have not been recovered, adding to scrutiny after Murrell admitted stealing £400,310.65 from the SNP over 12 years.
Sturgeon said she was deceived and knew nothing of the crimes, but pressure is growing on her and First Minister John Swinney over how the party missed theft on that scale; former Labour first minister Jack McConnell wants a joint Westminster-Holyrood inquiry.
Murrell is due to be sentenced on June 23, when his lawyer will make mitigation submissions and a social work report is expected.