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Peter Murrell embezzlement trial

923 replies

Sunnnyday · 25/05/2026 10:28

Peter Murrell is in court in Edinburgh today. This is for the preliminary hearing which was postponed from before the election. It will be interesting to see how the criminal proceedings proceed.

www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/peter-murrell-arrives-at-court-ahead-of-hearing-on-embezzlement-charges/ar-AA23Ybuy?ocid=msedgntp&pc

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WearyAuldWumman · 04/06/2026 20:28

TipsyLaird · 04/06/2026 20:25

Never had to claim legal aid myself and like you I assumed it was income related.

https://www.mygov.scot/legal-aid/criminal-cases

There's a lot about it here. It does also say if you click through a couple of pages that it's not 100% free or nothing at all, there's a sliding scale whereby depending on your income, you contribute. So it could be that he was paying a bit and they were topping it up, but nobody's saying.

"To get criminal legal aid you'll have to show that you can't afford to pay your legal costs yourself or that paying them would be unreasonable to you or your family."

This just seems so bizarre, in Murrell's case.

TipsyLaird · 04/06/2026 20:31

It does, but I have no idea how much it would cost for lawyers and advocates to represent you in a High Court trial for what, 3 or 4 weeks? Must be tens of thousands.

I think he would have been contributing something. Maybe they will disclose after sentencing.

ImaniMumsnet · 04/06/2026 20:41

Hi everyone,

Just poking our head round to remind everyone of our talk guidelines as we've noticed some derailing on the thread.

As always, please report anything you'd like us to take a look at.

Stillreadingalot · 04/06/2026 21:25

Differentforgirls · 04/06/2026 14:20

Third. Reform and Labour got the same number of seats. So they were joint second.

I know you misunderstand PR in particular D'Hondt, a lot of people do.

It's actually a very fair system as the results are that parties get the % of seats = to the % of votes. Unlike FPTP where winner takes it all even if the winner is only voted by a third of the electorate.

But you aren't 4th when two other parties are joint second. You are third.

Edited

Usually when 2 people/teams tie for second place then there is no 3rd place and the next person/ team is 4th.

Cismyfatarse · 04/06/2026 21:42

My favourite Twitter comment about the list of items and those left off the conviction.

Prosecution dropped Sturgeon’s knickers.

Helpmaboa · 04/06/2026 21:43

Cismyfatarse · 04/06/2026 21:42

My favourite Twitter comment about the list of items and those left off the conviction.

Prosecution dropped Sturgeon’s knickers.

😂

SirChenjins · 04/06/2026 22:34

Wonder if the SNP claimed back the VAT on them?!

YellingAway · 04/06/2026 22:37

Now off to google whether you pay vat on knickers…

SirChenjins · 04/06/2026 22:42

I think VAT is payable on adult knickers but not children's. Go with that where you will...!

YellingAway · 04/06/2026 22:45

SirChenjins · 04/06/2026 22:42

I think VAT is payable on adult knickers but not children's. Go with that where you will...!

I think it is time to empty my mind and get some sleep 🤣

fashionqueen0123 · 04/06/2026 22:48

guinnessguzzler · 25/05/2026 18:39

Omg, the BBC now have an online tool where you can search by 'retail category' to see how he spent the money 😂 But nobody knew a thing 😂 He bought a men's 'slouch pouch' onesie for £76 apparently! Good grief, if I were Peter Murrell I would long since have shrivelled up and spontaneously died of shame.

They read out part of the list on LBC. Sadly that was missed but some of the rest were utterly ridiculous things too!

fashionqueen0123 · 04/06/2026 22:49

GTTSR · 04/06/2026 19:43

From BBC article…“Murrell's lawyer indicated this week that the former chief executive had enough funds to repay the sum he embezzled from the party.”

So he’s got more than £400k saved away…how lovely. And he claimed (taxpayer funded) legal aid for his legal expenses? Nice Peter…what a creep.

How on earth does he get legal aid then

poodlemum01 · 05/06/2026 06:41

why is he getting legal aid if he has money to pay back some/all of what he stole?

GTTSR · 05/06/2026 06:46

poodlemum01 · 05/06/2026 06:41

why is he getting legal aid if he has money to pay back some/all of what he stole?

Exactly…further proof of his grifting ways I guess…

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cq8z7y0xj0xo

A bespectacled balding man in a blue sports jacket and striped shirt emerges from a car outside the front door of a modern house

Peter Murrell granted legal aid over embezzlement charge

The husband of former first minister Nicola Sturgeon was charged in a police investigation into SNP finances.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cq8z7y0xj0xo

GargoylesofBeelzebub · 05/06/2026 07:53

poodlemum01 · 05/06/2026 06:41

why is he getting legal aid if he has money to pay back some/all of what he stole?

Because at the time of his application for legal aid his assets, including pension, were frozen under the proceeds of crime act so didn’t count.

TipsyLaird · 05/06/2026 07:54

I can see the logic in that, but it still seems off. Just another issue that the SNP crisis management team will have to try to explain away.

SirChenjins · 05/06/2026 08:10

GargoylesofBeelzebub · 05/06/2026 07:53

Because at the time of his application for legal aid his assets, including pension, were frozen under the proceeds of crime act so didn’t count.

Are they unfrozen now?

GTTSR · 05/06/2026 08:39

This helps explain the background to the legal aid…the fair thing to do would to add in the cost of his legal aid to the amount he needs to repay…I naively wonder if that is what will happen?

https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/26168015.assets-peter-murrell-revealed-snp-embezzlement/

Also, Sturgeon refusing to contribute…I think under the POCA that items identified as being obtain under a criminal activity need to be returned regardless of who now “owns” them.

Staggering sum in Peter Murrell's pension fund revealed after SNP embezzlement

Former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell's assets have been revealed after he pleaded guilty to embezzlement.

https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/26168015.assets-peter-murrell-revealed-snp-embezzlement/

GargoylesofBeelzebub · 05/06/2026 08:45

GTTSR · 05/06/2026 08:39

This helps explain the background to the legal aid…the fair thing to do would to add in the cost of his legal aid to the amount he needs to repay…I naively wonder if that is what will happen?

https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/26168015.assets-peter-murrell-revealed-snp-embezzlement/

Also, Sturgeon refusing to contribute…I think under the POCA that items identified as being obtain under a criminal activity need to be returned regardless of who now “owns” them.

It says in that article that he won’t have to pay back legal aid.

GargoylesofBeelzebub · 05/06/2026 08:47

SirChenjins · 05/06/2026 08:10

Are they unfrozen now?

Not sure. I imagine they’d have to wait until after sentencing? They will be at some point though hence talk of using his pension fund to pay back part of what he embezzled.

TipsyLaird · 05/06/2026 09:03

I don't think the pension thing is fair. Lots of people who are approaching retirement age - Murrell is 61 - have very healthy pension pots. Murrell's salary was over £100k at some points in the past and the way the tax system works it can be a smart move to up your pension contributions to reduce your tax liability. That is not being on the fiddle, it's sensible planning. Also, if the state goes after his pension fund then what happens - they clear it out, and he is supported by the state (i.e. the rest of us) for the next 30 years?

Assets are a different matter, but the issue you have here is that many assets won't exist any more because they have been used or thrown away, or because they have no value. A second-hand fancy coffee machine is worth a fraction of what it cost, especially when sold at auction. Had he been pilfering money and putting it into a separate bank account that'd be so much easier to reclaim. The large shared asset is their house in Uddingston. Not sure how much that'd be worth - £500k maybe? And obviously half is hers, not his. So even if it's sold, it wouldn't cover what he stole.

There is also mention of a share of a property in Portugal owned solely by Murrell, but again the exact set up is unclear and there's no indication of value.

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/peter-murrells-posh-portuguese-hideaway-29721531

Peter Murrell's posh Portuguese bolthole he enjoys with Nicola Sturgeon

Former SNP chief executive Murrell - husband to ex first minister Nicola Sturgeon - partly owns a villa in the Algarve.

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/peter-murrells-posh-portuguese-hideaway-29721531

GargoylesofBeelzebub · 05/06/2026 09:07

TipsyLaird · 05/06/2026 09:03

I don't think the pension thing is fair. Lots of people who are approaching retirement age - Murrell is 61 - have very healthy pension pots. Murrell's salary was over £100k at some points in the past and the way the tax system works it can be a smart move to up your pension contributions to reduce your tax liability. That is not being on the fiddle, it's sensible planning. Also, if the state goes after his pension fund then what happens - they clear it out, and he is supported by the state (i.e. the rest of us) for the next 30 years?

Assets are a different matter, but the issue you have here is that many assets won't exist any more because they have been used or thrown away, or because they have no value. A second-hand fancy coffee machine is worth a fraction of what it cost, especially when sold at auction. Had he been pilfering money and putting it into a separate bank account that'd be so much easier to reclaim. The large shared asset is their house in Uddingston. Not sure how much that'd be worth - £500k maybe? And obviously half is hers, not his. So even if it's sold, it wouldn't cover what he stole.

There is also mention of a share of a property in Portugal owned solely by Murrell, but again the exact set up is unclear and there's no indication of value.

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/peter-murrells-posh-portuguese-hideaway-29721531

Think of it as him paying back what he stole from his future income. Also he may not have managed to build up such a sum if he hadn’t been buying stuff with SNP money.

TipsyLaird · 05/06/2026 09:09

It would be easy enough for payroll at the SNP to confirm whether he had made any AVCs to his pension, or whether it has been built up by regular monthly deductions.

guinnessguzzler · 05/06/2026 09:24

I appreciate what you're saying about the resale value of the items he bought @TipsyLaird although I do wonder whether there is a niche market for some of this stuff? Like how some people like to buy things celebrities owned. Are there people weird enough to want to spend a lot on the coffee machine he and Nicola used, for example? Are they allowed to auction things off in this way - I'd love to see the website for that! - or does it all just have to go to a house clearance type place and take what they give you? I don't seriously believe there is major money to be made here but, as this whole case proves, people really can be incredibly odd, so you never know!

TipsyLaird · 05/06/2026 09:26

AFAIK proceeds of crime goods are usually sold through police auctions. This sort of place

https://www.wilsonsauctions.com/auctions/police-government-auctions

They won't say "once owned by Nicola Sturgeon".