murrell sentencing - enter your guesses....

[LaliqueSaltGrinder]

So how long do we all think he'll get? Not a legal expert. Natalie McGarry was sentenced to 2 years, reduced to 20 months on appeal, for embezzling £25k. 20 months for this woman https://www.scotland.police.uk/what-s-happening/news/2026/february/woman-jailed-for-embezzlement-in-dunoon/ in Dunoon who stole £40k. But this guy https://www.scottishfinancialnews.com/articles/aberdeen-accountant-embezzled-ps95000-from-oil-firm-to-fund-gambling-addiction in Aberdeen stole £96k and was given a community service order. In terms of value, the nearest I could see was this case https://www.scottishfinancialnews.com/articles/woman-jailed-for-construction-firm-embezzlement-worth-more-than-ps500000-ordered-to-repay-over-ps80000 whivch was £500k, sentenced to 38 months.

So I am opening the bidding at 40 months.

But also - it was well known in SNP senior circles he had light fingers.

Two years ..fast track to an open prison.

He'll be out. Rules are for the little people, especially women

Didn't he steal from Alex Salmond and it was all brushed away?

@topcat2014 bloody hope not surely you can't pilfer £400,000. and not do time.

Four years and a compensation order (not for the full amount). But inevitably will be out in two.

Life imprisonment in Nicola Sturgeon's spare bedroom. They can both suffer and she can do what she likes with hom.

How about rapid onset gender dysphoria and into a women's prison

Depends how bent the judge is and what 'mitigations' he allows. I think he'll end up doing about 18 months in an open prison.

I think I read that we don’t have any open prisons in Scotland. I would love to see him in Barlinnie but I suspect t it will be something like 2years inside and he will serve half that.

We do castle Huntly it's near Dundee..
People abscond on a regular basis.

I’ll be surprised if he does any time inside - something mostly suspended with mutterings about “time served” whilst on remand.

The deal he has done which included protecting Saint “what Jag?” Nic plus probably some lobbying from SNP as the victims will protect him from the type of sentence normally given for high profile embezzlement.

As pp say - rules are for the little people.

Five years two suspended. In the women's prison. 😊

What "deal"? 😆

Not fair on the women, they would be punished twice!

I do think though that the judge is on a hiding to nothing - too lenient and people will say that he's in on it, pals with someone in the government, been paid off. Too harsh and he will be accused of being very anti-government, anti-Scottish, unfair, swayed by Murrell's "celebrity" status...

I think the sentencing will be seen to be fair if it is line with other sentences for similar fraudulent activity. Add on the fact that he was in that particular role and that should be taken into account also for an add on.

Somewhere in the middle of lenient and punitive. I presume he will be expected to repay the skimmed off funds somehow.

Failing that, community service cleaning the municipal motorhome park ups. I think Scotland has a very lenient approach to where you can camp and park in the countryside. Here's your gloves, hi viz and shovel Murrell, and mind your ankle bracelet there in the mud.

It may also depend on how much he is prepared to pay back I suppose.

I can’t see why he’d need jail time for a non violent offence - his career is over, his life and reputation are ruined and he will struggle to get any kind of job because he can’t be trusted to handle money. So most likely he’s going to be shuffling around on a low income, shunned by everyone that knows him and probably shouted at by people in the street.

it is expensive to incarcerate him - and how can that be worse than the entire world knowing that you can’t be trusted anyway?

i expect they’ll feel the need to make an example though so expect he’ll get two years and serve one.

I wonder how much the Lalique made on Vinted…

Oh I don't know - he has friends in high places and could very well do a Frank Abagnale - plus it's mainly people in Scotland who recognise him. I promise you if he walked down Wind Street in Swansea I wouldn't bat an eye. If he 'rehabilitates' outside of Scotland he might well be successful. I know what my first minister looks like - unmistakable to me - but I bet he could walk the Royal Mile and no one would blink twice at him.

I agree. Gove it a couple of years and then he'll just be another bald older man in the crowd. I doubt many people care - especially outside Scotland. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Im going pending as I think the security aspect will be more hassle/expense than they'll think it's worth.

🤣🤣

I can just see him in a frock 🤣

Other than the last bit at the end, I agree with you. We don't have prison capacity for the the violent prisoners. There are other punishments more suited to fraud.