Peter Murrell sentencing, what are we thinking…..?

[Dontwearmysocks]

What do we think he’s going to get, will there be much information put forward as mitigation 🧐

Still not buying the SNP as victim narrative, SNP poor governance the cause, more like.

Honestly, I’d let him walk if he could tell us why and whether Nicola knew.

Also, think we should raffle off all the salt and pepper shakers.

Based on other recent similar crimes I think he’ll get somewhere between 2 and 10 years.

he will also be ordered to pay the money back.

@AgnesMcDoo I think you are right - esp the low end, and I don’t think we’ll get much explanation as to the why….

I've said 4 years and I'm sticking with it. I think they'll put forward mental health as mitigation and cite examples of really random stuff he bought and the fact he didn't actually need it as evidence of some kind of compulsive disorder. I think he'll also have to pay it back out of his pension and they will plead that the public humiliation and his planned comfortable retirement being destroyed are punishment enough. I still think he'll get 4 years.

Given he still seems to be protecting Sturgeon, I don’t think he’ll go full on with the ‘miserable marriage to a controlling shite-arse caused my mental illness of kleptomania’ mitigation.

But I don’t know if he’ll just stick with a few apologies to others, and keep his powder dry for a later book deal; or he’ll tie himself up with references to depression and general malaise, stress of the job and the first referendum, pressures on his marriage and the pregnancy loss way back when (yes, I think he could well go there), how they both really tried so hard to make it work but he found solace in ordering shite off the internet as a way of coping, like a release valve for all the pressures of running a country, and then Covid happened and Boris Johnson made his wife sad and he found himself in a deep hole he couldn’t bring himself to tell her the truth about ever.

I think, given the massive betrayal of trust he has admitted to and the arrogance he has demonstrated toward his ‘employer’ and to so many others, the large amounts involved, and his willingness to continue his deception for so long, he’ll have to get 6 years.

Agree @TheAutumnCrow I think he'll play the victim and do everything to avoid responsibility without saying anything negative about Sturgeon. I'm sure there must be some kind of agreement on that. For what it's worth, I do think there must have been an element of mental health or personality disorder as a cause as his behaviour was simply so irrational to the point of being impossible for most people to understand or relate to. I don't think that makes it ok; he should have sought help or stepped away from his role, or both!

Absolutely, there is more to it than he just wanted some things and popped them on expenses.

He bought a salt and pepper grinder nearly every year. That is very much a one time purchase. There is a strange pattern to it all that is compulsive in some way.

Sentence is five years three months. Apparently a full repayment is expected.

I’m actually pleasantly surprised the sentence-I had thought it would be more like 3 years

The judge stressed that he felt there needed to be a deterrent effect and that was one reason for a longer sentence. He got a discount for pleading guilty.

Surprised they didn't try for more in mitigation. He obviously has some limits in terms of humiliating himself to his own advantage.

Probably a book deal when he gets out!