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Angus CochraneSenior governmental journalist, BBC Scotland
Jane Barlow/PA Media
Peter Murrell pleaded blameworthy to embezzlement past period
Former SNP main enforcement Peter Murrell is to beryllium sentenced astatine the High Court successful Edinburgh connected Tuesday aft helium admitted embezzling much than £400,000 from the party.
Murrell - the estranged hubby of Nicola Sturgeon - utilized the funds to bargain goods ranging from cars and a motorhome to kitchenware and toiletries.
The 61-year-old has been remanded successful custody since pleading blameworthy past period and is facing a important jailhouse term.
Sturgeon has denied immoderate cognition of his wrongdoing, saying she was "deceived, betrayed and lied to".
At a tribunal proceeding connected 25 May, Murrell admitted embezzling £400,310.65 from the SNP betwixt 2010 and 2022.
Police Scotland began investigating the party's finances successful 2021 aft questions were asked astir what had happened to £667,000 raised for a 2nd independency referendum campaign.
Officers were initially looking into imaginable fraud erstwhile they uncovered Murrell's embezzlement.
They recovered Murrell had utilized used complaint cards, slope transfers and fake invoices to illicitly acquisition items including jewellery, cosmetics, stationery, and games consoles.
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Nicola Sturgeon and Peter Murrell announced past twelvemonth that they had separated
The Glasgow location helium shared with Sturgeon was searched arsenic portion of the constabulary operation, arsenic was SNP office successful Edinburgh.
First Minister John Swinney, who appointed Murrell successful 2001 during his archetypal spell arsenic SNP leader, has apologised to enactment members.
However, helium has denied immoderate attempts to unopen down concerns astir enactment finances.
He said helium was "horrified" by Murrell's conduct, describing it arsenic an "overwhelming betrayal".
The SNP person has rejected calls for an enquiry into the case, saying it would not supply much answers than the four-year constabulary investigation.
You tin ticker a unrecorded watercourse of Peter Murrell's tribunal appearance, and travel updates and analysis, connected the BBC Scotland News website
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