𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

Nicola Sturgeon has experienced “probably the worst week of my life” after her estranged husband admitted embezzling more than £400,000 from the SNP.

Peter Murrell, 61, on Monday pleaded guilty to embezzling £400,310.65 from the party while the party’s chief executive.

He used the funds to bankroll a lavish lifestyle, which included luxury goods such as a £4,225 fountain pen, salt and pepper grinders costing £2,618, a £3,231 coffee machine, and a £124,550 state-of-the-art motorhome.

Speaking at a literary festival in Ireland yesterday (THURS), the former Scottish first minister said: “The last few years have had some tough weeks for me, but this one I think surpasses all of them.

“Coming to terms with the fact that you spent many years – I spent many years – married to somebody that, as it turns out, I obviously didn’t know at all is a really painful truth to process, and I think I’m only in the very early stages of processing it.

“And then to be in a position of such public turmoil myself makes it even harder.

“This is not a private thing – it would be hard enough if it was a private thing – but it’s very public.”

Ms Sturgeon was arrested in June 2023 as part of the probe into the SNP’s finances, and was quizzed by detectives.

She was later told by Police Scotland that she would face no further action following direction from the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service.

In a statement issued after her estranged husband’s admission of guilt, Ms Sturgeon said she was unaware of his spending sprees and had no idea about the luxury campervan until it became part of the police probe in early 2023.

The former first minister has also faced criticism this week for her reported decision to give “no comment” answers while being interviewed by police following her arrest.

In a statement issued on her behalf, solicitor Aamer Anwar stressed that the answer is standard legal advice, and rejected claims that the move hindered the investigation.

Earlier on Thursday, Scotland’s police chief praised the officers who carried out the Operation Branchform investigation into SNP finances, saying they gathered “compelling evidence” against Murrell.

Police Scotland Chief Constable Jo Farrell said the investigators “worked under intense scrutiny” in a case with “significant public interest”.