Peter Murrell: Former SNP chief executive appears in court as police say Nicola Sturgeon is no longer under investigation

Peter Murrell, the husband of former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, appeared in the dock at a petition hearing at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Thursday.

Co-inciding with his appearance, police announced that criminal enquiries into Ms Sturgeon and Midlothian MSP Colin Beattie, former SNP treasurer, had now concluded and they were no longer under investigation.

Mr Murrell, 60, faced a single charge of embezzlement. He made no plea and the case was committed for further examination. Sheriff Wendy Sheehan granted Mr Murrell bail and no date has yet been fixed for his next appearance at court.

Mr Murrell, of Glasgow, was dressed soberly in a dark blue suit, white shirt, blue tie and black overcoat and left the court building around 12.30pm to be picked up by a waiting taxi.

Peter Murrell, the husband of former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, appeared in the dock at a petition hearing at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Thursday. | TSPL

Mr Murrell married former First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon in July 2010 but the couple announced they had separated in January this year and are due to divorce.

Before entering politics Mr Murrell was a public relations officer for the Church of Scotland for four years.

Meanwhile, Police Scotland issues an update on Operation Branchform. It 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.”

A spokesperson for the Crown and Procurator Fiscal Service said: “Professional prosecutors from COPFS and independent counsel are dealing with this case without involving the Lord Advocate or Solicitor General. All Scotland's prosecutors operate independently of political influence.

“These matters are active under the Contempt of Court Act 1981. The provisions of this Act protect the integrity of proceedings, preserve access to justice for victims and secure the rights of people accused of crime.

“Anyone publishing items about active cases is advised to exercise caution as material must not be commentary or analysis of evidence, witnesses or accused. Contempt of Court carries penalties of up to two years in prison and/or an unlimited fine.”

The spokesperson added: “A request from Police Scotland for advice and guidance in an investigation into a 73-year-old man and a 54-year-old woman has been responded to.

“The request was handled as part of a large-scale wider inquiry and without delay on the part of the prosecution service who recognise its significance.

“Professional prosecutors from COPFS and independent counsel dealt with this without involving the Lord Advocate or Solicitor General. All Scotland's prosecutors operate independently of political influence.

“Where allegations are made against people or institutions in which the public have placed trust, it is the responsibility of the authorities to conduct a thorough investigation to determine if there is evidence that criminal conduct has occurred.

“We understand public curiosity about this investigation. However, the Crown does not publicly share details of confidential inquiries where there are no proceedings in court. This protects the rights of the individuals concerned who are entitled to a presumption of innocence.”