Former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell was led away in handcuffs after admitting he embezzled more than £400,000 from the party over a 12 year period.
Murrell, once one of the most powerful figures in Scottish politics, pleaded guilty at the High Court in Edinburgh to stealing £400,310.65 from SNP funds between August 2010 and October 2022.
The 60 year old, who ran the SNP organisation for more than two decades, was remanded in custody ahead of sentencing next month.
The court heard that Murrell diverted party money towards a series of personal purchases, including vehicles, luxury goods and online shopping, while allegedly disguising the spending through false accounting records.
Among the items detailed in court was a £124,550 motorhome, which prosecutors said was bought using SNP funds before being stored at his mother’s home in Fife. Murrell also admitted offences linked to the purchase of a Jaguar I-PACE and a Volkswagen Golf, both partly funded using party money.
Prosecutors further outlined how SNP credit cards were used for personal spending over several years, including large sums spent through Amazon and at retailers including Montblanc, Fortnum and Mason, and Molton Brown.
Murrell also admitted submitting false expense claims and using inaccurate accounting descriptions to conceal purchases.
Judge Lord Young told the court the offences amounted to a serious abuse of trust by a senior party official who had held responsibility for the SNP’s operations and finances over many years.
The case marks a dramatic fall for a man who stood at the centre of Scottish politics alongside his estranged wife, former first minister Nicola Sturgeon.
Sturgeon, who announced the end of their marriage last year, said she was “angry, hurt, sad and very distressed” following the guilty plea.
In a statement, she insisted she had no knowledge that SNP funds were being used for personal purposes and said she had been “misled” by her former husband. Police have previously confirmed she is no longer under investigation.
Murrell was first arrested in April 2023 as part of the long running investigation into SNP finances. He was formally charged the following year.
The guilty plea immediately triggered renewed political criticism, with opposition parties demanding answers over what senior figures inside the SNP knew during the period covered by the offences.
Speaking after the hearing, Assistant Chief Constable Stuart Houston of Police Scotland said Murrell had abused his privileged position within the party in order to fund a lifestyle beyond his means.
Police also confirmed that no other individuals will face charges in connection with the investigation.
