Former Scottish National Party (SNP) chief executive Peter Murrell has pleaded guilty to embezzling £400,310.65 from the party's main bank account between 2010 and 2022. The High Court in Edinburgh heard that the funds came from membership fees and donations.
Among the items bought with the stolen money was a Niesmann+Bischoff Smove 7.4e motorhome costing £124,550. According to prosecutors, it was purchased in 2019 or 2020 and driven only four miles from the dealer to Murrell's mother's house, where it sat unused for over two years. When police seized it, the odometer showed four miles. Murrell hid the purchase by listing it as a "van" on a fake invoice, claiming it was for party use, but no campaign materials were found inside.
Other purchases included a robotic lawnmower for £3,070, two cars (a Jaguar I-Pace and a Volkswagen Golf), Bremont watches, Montblanc pens, Le Creuset cookware, Molton Brown cosmetics, a silver wine coaster for £3,500, a telescope, a coffee machine for £3,232, designer salt and pepper mills for £2,618, and Nintendo game consoles. Murrell disguised the spending as "legal services" or "management expenses." Sentencing is scheduled for 23 June.