A court is scheduled to receive further information regarding how former SNP chief executive Peter Murrellgoods worth over £400,000 that were stolen using the party’s money.
Over 100 pages of legal papers have already been made public, illustrating the variety of purchases he made during a 12-year span.
The list contains over 1,000 entries, ranging from high-end items and a £124,550 motorhome to regular buys such as hand cream.
Before today’s hearing, Scotland has examined the extent and timing of Murrell’s unlawful acquisitions – and created a searchable list of all items he acknowledged purchasing.
What did Murrell purchase using embezzled SNP money?
Murrell’s fraudulent activity started with the buying of two Ali Baba laundry baskets from Amazon in August 2010 – only one month afterhis marriage to Nicola Sturgeon.
Court records indicate that following this expenditure of £70.89, Murrell carried out a total of 1,066 purchases using misappropriated SNP funds from 2010 until October 2022.
The range of products is impressive, spanning from the extravagant—such as Lalique salt and pepper mills that cost £2,618—to the ordinary, like Loctite super glue which is priced at £3.50.
Documents indicate that on July 4, 2016, Murrell purchased a set of Montblanc cufflinks for £215.
Six days after, the former SNP chief executive was seen at the men’s final of the Wimbledon tennis championship with his then wife Sturgeon, who served as Scotland’s first minister. Murrell was wearing cufflinks that resemble those bought.
Murrell’s purchases in pictures
The inventory of stolen items also features over £2,000 worth of products from the Norwegian outdoor apparel company Helly Hansen.
Murrell was shown wearing this type of jacket on several occasions.
In other locations, several photographs depict Sturgeon with high-end Montblanc pens that resemble those listed by Murrell as stolen.
Additional images from media interviews at the former residence of Murrell and Sturgeon reveal what seem to be the identical coffee machine model – a £1,299 Miele CM 6300 unit – as the ones acquired by Murrell.
Furthermore, a £943 library ladder listed as an item bought by Murrell is also seen in photographs taken at their residence.
Murrell made 79 purchases in the lead-up to Christmas between 2010 and 2021.
This includes computer and gaming technology, such as a Nintendo DSi XL Console and Grand Theft Auto V for the PS4; two Vtriker children’s scooters; a men’s Slouch Pouch onesie; DVDs featuring the US crime drama series The Killing; and the book A Gentleman in Moscow.
However, it remains uncertain whether these were offerings.
When was Murrell’s expenditure at its highest?
Murrell became the SNP’s chief executive in 2001, but his unlawful activities began nine years later.
Legal papers indicate that the expenditure initially was modest but started to rise in 2013 and 2014, the year when the Scottish independence referendum took place.
By 2016, it had increased significantly following the acquisition of over 100 items costing tens of thousands of pounds.
Around 300 items were acquired during the period spanning the Covid-19 outbreak, although the highest amount of expenditure occurred in 2020.
This was the year Murrell purchased a high-end Niesmann and Bischoff Smove 7.4e motorhome for £124,550.
The following day, the former SNP official purchased a book called Take the Slow Road: Inspirational Journeys Round England and Wales by Camper Van and Motorhome – one of three he acquired on the topic.
Over the next few months, he purchased items like awning screw-in pegs for £15.98 and wheel clamps along with keys for £119.98.
2020 was also the year in which the initial inquiries emergedbrought up by advocates and SNP MPswho inquired about what became of the £600,000 in contributions to the SNP that was intended to be reserved for independence advocacy.
The expenditure persisted, albeit at a significantly reduced pace, following these issues and in June 2021 Murrellprovided the party with a loan of £107,620.
Police Scotland launched the Operation Branchform investigationinto the SNP’s financials the following month.
However, the embezzlement concluded in October 2022 when two plastic food containers were bought.
Murrell stepped down from the position of SNP chief executive in March 2023.
A summary of where the funds were allocated
Major purchases such as the motorhome and the Jaguar represent a large portion of Murrell’s expenses, but apart from that, the majority of his money was spent on household items.
He allocated SNP funds to purchase several premium coffee machines and luxury coffee beans.
Among the high-end items, Murrell also acquired several common devices and gadgets, including a Karcher pressure washer (£469.95) and a Dyson V8 Cordless vacuum (£469.99).
Other assorted purchases included:
- A Caran d’Ache pencil sharpener (£110)
- A PerfectDraft starter kit (£174) along with kegs of Jupiler, Leffe, and Stella Artois
- a GoPro camera (£479)
- A Royal Mint Scottish silver unicorn coin (£795)
- and three Davek Savile umbrellas (£975)
At the opposite end of the spectrum, he purchased two Neutrogena hand creams (£2.50) as part of a bigger buy, a bottle of Loctite super glue (£3.50), and curry sauce paste (£11.99).
A review of the court records reveals multiple instances of buying identical items repeatedly.
For instance, nine vacuum cleaners priced just below £4,000 were purchased within a period of four years.
It also indicates that most items are priced below £100.
It remains unclear what the SNP’s internal processes were for approving party spending, but it is typical for most organizations to permit senior leaders to spend a specific amount of money without needing prior authorization.
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