John Swinney tells of ‘horror’ at Murrell’s ‘colossal breach of trust’

Scotland’s First Minister has told of his “horror” at the “colossal breach of trust” carried out by former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell, as further details of his £400,000 embezzlement were made public.

John Swinney said Murrell – the ex-husband of former first minister Nicola Sturgeon – had committed a “systematic series of criminal actions”.

The SNP leader told journalists at Holyrood on Tuesday that Murrell’s crimes show “there has not been, in every respect, adequate controls in place”.

Swinney said: “The systems that were in place should not have been able to be abused, but they were.”

Peter Murrell appearing at the High Court in Edinburgh during a hearing for the prosecution narrative to be read out. PA Media

However he insisted this issue has now be addressed, setting out various steps the party has taken since he became leader to improve financial governance.

With more details of Murrell’s crimes having emerged in a hearing at the High Court in Edinburgh on Tuesday, Swinney said he wanted to make clear his “dismay at the further information which has been shared”.

He also spoke of his “horror at the contents of the material which has been set out”.

He spoke of the “deceit” of Murrell, 61, including his “falsification of information” and “falsification of invoices”.

The SNP leader said: “It is clear that there has been a colossal breach of trust and a systematic series of criminal actions by Peter Murrell.”

Asked how he felt about Murrell, the SNP leader said simply: “I wouldn’t know where to start. I can’t adequately convey the sense of betrayal I feel.”

He said he was “absolutely gutted at the behaviour that has been perpetrated” and “utterly devastated”.

His comments came after the court heard Murrell created fake invoices and used “misleading” accounting in a bid to cover his tracks as he embezzled £400,310.65 from his party over a period of 12 years.

His role as chief executive enabled him to make direct transfers of cash from the party’s main bank account.

He also used multiple party “charge cards”, as well as making a number of false expense claims.

Swinney said: “I think what all this demonstrates is an appalling breach of trust and the courts will obviously decide on the further course of action that they take.

“What is obvious is systems were circumvented, there was falsification of invoices, that was deliberately to disguise, there was miscoding of items that were set out.

“These were all steps to deceive. So it’s not about having too much power, it is about abusing the systems that were in place and circumventing the systems that were in place and that is at the very heart of embezzlement.”

While he said the systems in place at the time were “robust”, these “were circumvented by a criminal actor” and “undermined by somebody who acted in a criminal fashion, and that is, in my view, beyond reprehensible”.

However he insisted the SNP has now “got very strong governance” in place which he is “confident” about.

He again rejected calls for an inquiry into the SNP and its systems, saying there has been “an extensive police investigation that has established serial criminality and a whole range of different actions to cover that up”.

Murrell’s guilty plea at court last week was “because of the compelling nature of the evidence that the police have put forward”, Swinney added.

He said he will now be focusing on taking forward his plans for Government, adding: “In the aftermath of the election the public will expect us to focus on their priorities and the issues they wish to see addressed.”