Murrell bought motorhome and robotic lawnmower with party donations, court told

Former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell (pictured) bought a motorhome and robotic lawnmower with party donations, a court has heard.

Today, the High Court in Edinburgh heard he embezzled £400,310.65 from the SNP’s principal bank account, “over which he had control”.

Reading out the prosecution narrative, Alan Cameron KC said the funds in that account came mainly from “membership fees and donations paid by party members and other donors and legacies”.

He said Murrell falsified accounting records and created fake invoices in a bid to cover up his wrongdoing as he racked up purchases that included a £124,550 motorhome and thousands of pounds of luxury stationery.

He told the court one of the vehicles included a Volkswagen Golf car, which was later sold and the proceeds used towards buying a Jaguar I-Pace worth more than £81,000.

The advocate depute said a false invoice was created for this, submitting the claim as “stage payment”.

Mr Cameron KC said: “He claimed that the payment was for staging for national events.”

The advocate depute also discussed the purchase of a motorhome by Murrell, which was worth £124,550.

When police seized the vehicle from his mother’s house, the odometer showed it had only been driven for four miles.

He said it was decribed as a “van rather than a motorhome” when the invoice was filed.

Mr Cameron KC said: “It was never used or seen by any other party member or employee.”

Murrell appeared in court dressed in a dark blue suit and black tie, and gave a nod to his lawyer John Scullion KC as he was led to the dock.

Sentencing of the 61-year-old, who is former Scotland First Minister Nicola Sturgeon’s ex-husband, is due to take place later in June.

On Monday last week he admitted embezzling £400,310.65 from the SNP between August 2010 and October 2022.

Court papers revealed a lengthy list of items he bought with the embezzled money, including a space telescope, DVDs, a home library ladder worth more than £900 and a coffee machine worth nearly £3,232.

Two cars and a £124,550 motorhome were also among the purchases.

Murrell’s guilty plea has led to intense scrutiny for his former wife Ms Sturgeon, who has denied knowing of his crimes – saying she was “deceived, misled and betrayed”.

The former SNP leader said she has been “completely exonerated” after a “two-year-long, very forensic police investigation” which saw police officers search the home she and Murrell had shared.

Ms Sturgeon was arrested and questioned as part of the police investigation into the SNP’s finances, which was known as Operation Branchform, but Police Scotland confirmed she would face no action.

At the weekend, the former first minister told the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme she feels like she is “serving a sentence for a crime I did not commit”.

Murrell’s guilty plea has also led to calls for an independent investigation into the SNP’s finances.

Former first minister Lord Jack McConnell has said a joint inquiry by both Holyrood and Westminster committees should examine Murrell’s embezzlement.

Shadow Scottish secretary Andrew Bowie has called on Westminster’s Scottish Affairs Committee to initiate an inquiry.

However current SNP leader and First Minister John Swinney has said there is no need for such an inquiry, emphasising the detailed nature of the police investigation.

He told the Press Association last week: “The police investigation has led to a criminal case.

“There has been a prosecution and there has been a guilty plea and there will be sentencing taking place as a consequence.

“So, all these issues have been looked at.

“We know what the problem was – the problem was criminal behaviour and the police have identified that and the individual involved has been prosecuted.”

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