Husband of ex-Scottish leader charged over alleged embezzlement: police

The husband of former Scottish leader Nicola Sturgeon was on Thursday re-arrested and charged over alleged embezzlement as part of a probe into the pro-independence Scottish National Party's finances, police said.

Sturgeon, the former head of Scotland's devolved administration in Edinburgh, quit as SNP leader and first minister in February 2023.

Her husband Peter Murrell was arrested in April that year after officers searched the home near Glasgow he shared with Sturgeon.

He was later released without charge pending further investigations.

The arrest followed a probe known as Operation Branchform into the spending of more than £600,000 ($750,000) in donations for independence campaigning.

Sturgeon was herself arrested in June 2023 over claims of mismanagement of SNP finances and questioned for seven hours before being released without charge.

She has strenuously denied the allegations against her, saying last year: "I know beyond doubt that I am in fact innocent of any wrongdoing."

Police Scotland said that "a 59-year-old man has today Thursday April 18 been charged in connection with the embezzlement of funds from the Scottish National Party".

"The man, who was arrested at 9:13 am today and had previously been arrested as a suspect on April 5, 2023, was charged at 6:35 pm after further questioning by Police Scotland detectives investigating the funding and finances of the party", it said, adding that he was then released.

Murrell resigned from the SNP later in the day, according to reports in several British media.

"While this development will come as a shock, the police investigation remains ongoing and it would, therefore, be inappropriate to make any comment," an SNP spokesperson said.

har/yad/imm