Nicola Sturgeon's husband Peter Murrell charged in connection with embezzlement of funds from SNP
18 April 2024, 19:44 | Updated: 18 April 2024, 20:21
Nicola Sturgeon's husband Peter Murrell has been charged in connection with embezzlement of funds from the SNP.
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Peter Murrell, the former SNP chief executive, was arrested in April last year as part of a probe into the party's funding and finances.
The 59-year-old was arrested again on Thursday - more than a year after his first arrest - and taken into custody for questioning.
He has since been charged, with a statement from Police Scotland saying: "A 59-year-old man has today, Thursday, 18 April, 2024, been charged in connection with the embezzlement of funds from the Scottish National Party.
"The man, who was arrested at 9.13am today and had previously been arrested as a suspect on 5 April, 2023, was charged at 6.35pm after further questioning by Police Scotland detectives investigating the funding and finances of the party.
Peter Murrell charged in connection with embezzlement of funds from the SNP
"A report will be sent to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service in due course.
"The man is no longer in police custody.
"As this investigation is ongoing we are unable to comment further."
Police Scotland searched Mr Murrell’s home near Glasgow, which he shares with Ms Sturgeon, last year on April 5.
He was released without charge after his first arrest, pending further investigation.
Ms Sturgeon, who resigned as first minister and SNP leader in February 2023, was arrested two months after her husband.
The former party treasurer Colin Beattie was also arrested.
Both Ms Sturgeon and Mr Beattie were also released without charge pending further investigation.
The probe, known as Operation Branchform, was launched in May 2021 and looked at how money raised as part of a 'referendum appeal' was used.
It came after accounts for the SNP showed less than £100,000 in the bank in 2019, despite the party receiving £600,000 in donations.
A new officer was understood to have been appointed to oversee the operation earlier this month in a bid to run a "fresh pair of eyes" over it before an official report is submitted.
An SNP spokesperson said: “It would be inappropriate to comment at this stage.”
Scottish Conservative chairman Craig Hoy said: "This is an extremely serious development and it's essential that all SNP staff and politicians, past and present, cooperate fully with Police Scotland.
"This complex investigation has been going on for three years and it's vital that the SNP are fully open and transparent so that the police can finally conclude their probe."
