Sturgeon claims deception in SNP embezzlement case as ex-husband pleads guilty
Nicola Sturgeon says she was “deceived, misled and betrayed” by estranged husband Peter Murrell, who has been remanded in custody after admitting to siphoning more than £400,000 from the Scottish National Party over a 12-year period.
Former Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has made her first public appearance since her estranged husband, Peter Murrell, pleaded guilty to embezzling funds from the Scottish National Party (SNP). Speaking at the Listowel Writers’ Week in County Kerry, Ireland, Sturgeon stated she was “deceived, misled and betrayed” by Murrell, describing the events as the “worst week” of her life.
Murrell, 61, was remanded in custody after pleading guilty at the High Court in Edinburgh to misappropriating £400,310.65 from the party between 2010 and 2022. The funds were spent on luxury items including a motorhome, cars, expensive watches, and a telescope. Sturgeon, 55, insisted she had no prior knowledge of the crimes and was “completely exonerated” following a two-year police investigation.
Sturgeon acknowledged that the public would have questions regarding how such significant expenditures occurred without her knowledge. She argued that there is a “big misassumption” that she was aware of the purchases, stating she was reading about the specific items in newspapers for the first time as recently as Monday. She described the situation as a “painful truth” that she is only in the early stages of processing.
The former SNP leader confirmed she fully cooperated with Police Scotland, who conducted a forensic investigation that included searching the home she and Murrell had shared. Although she was arrested and questioned in 2023, she was not charged. Sturgeon clarified that while she initially followed legal advice to give no verbal comment, she subsequently provided a detailed written response to the police’s inquiries.
Sturgeon, who was in Ireland to promote her memoir, disclosed that she is currently undergoing therapy and admitted she is “not OK” but affirmed her resilience. She emphasized that the last few years have been difficult, but the current public turmoil surrounding her personal life and the party’s finances has surpassed previous challenges.