Former first minister Nicola Sturgeon is no longer under investigation by Police Scotland amid a probe into the party’s funding and finances.Meanwhile, former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell has appeared in court charged with embezzlement
Murrell, who is separated from Ms Sturgeon, made no plea to the single charge when he appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Thursday.The 60-year-old was granted bail with his next court appearance yet to be confirmed.Murrell, who had been SNP chief executive since 1999, resigned in March 2023 amid a row over party numbers.
The following month he was arrested amid Police Scotland’s long-running Operation Branchform and was subsequently charged a year later with embezzling SNP funds.The probe, which has been ongoing since July 2021, is linked to the spending of around £600,000 raised by SNP supporters to be earmarked for Scottish independence campaigning.
Ms Sturgeon and ex-party treasurer MSP Colin Beattie were also arrested and released without charge as part of the investigation.In an update on Thursday, a Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Following direction from the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, criminal enquiries into two people arrested as part of the investigation into the funding and finances of the Scottish National Party have now concluded.
“The 73-year-old man arrested on 18 April 2023, and the 54-year-old woman arrested on 11 June 2023, have not been charged and are no longer under investigation.”In January, Ms Sturgeon announced she had split from Murrell.The pair, who first met via the SNP in 1988 and became a couple in 2003, married in 2010.The Glasgow Southside MSP announced their separation in a post on Instagram, revealing they had been “separated for some time now” but “still care deeply for each other, and always will”.This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.Please refresh the page for the fullest version.You can receive breaking news alerts on a smartphone or tablet via the Sky News app. You can also follow us on WhatsApp and subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep up with the latest news.