Peter Murrell, 61, the former Chief Executive of the SNP, and estranged husband of former First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, has arrived at the High Court in Edinburgh on Monday morning.
Murrell walked to the court building flanked by his legal team and carrying a black bag. He faces charges of embezzlement of £459,000 from the SNP over a period of 12 years.
The charges state that he is accused of embezzling the funds between 2010 and 2023, and buying items for his personal use, spending the party’s funds.
Mr Murrell was the Chief Executive of the SNP for 22 years while his wife became party leader.
Police Scotland’s Operation Branchform, which has cost around £2 million, has investigated the matter since 2020, and police searched both the home in Glasgow which Mr Murrell and his wife lived in as well as the SNP offices in the Old Town. He was first charged in 2024.
Both Ms Sturgeon and Colin Beattie MSP were arrested as part of the investigation but were not charged, and no proceedings have been taken against either of them, and they were cleared of any wrongdoing.
