NICOLA Sturgeon's lawyers have responded to "armchair detectives" after continued speculation over her knowledge of her estranged husband Peter Murrell's crimes.
Murrell, the former SNP chief executive, appeared in court on Monday and admitted embezzling a total of £400,310.65 from the SNP between August 2010 and October 2022.
The cash was used to buy a range of items, including a motorhome, various luxury goods and two cars.
Other purchases included designer kitchenware, multiple pairs of shoes, expensive pens and a £1200 space telescope.
Sturgeon, who was SNP leader and Scottish first minister for much of that time, has already stated she had “no knowledge or suspicion whatsoever” her husband had bought the goods using party cash.
Despite issuing a statement outlining her position on Monday following the news, opposition politicians and her critics within SNP circles have continued to heap scrutiny on the former first minister.
This included Scottish Tory leader Russell Findlay accusing Sturgeon of using "organised crime" tactics by responding "no comment" during her initial police interview in relation to the embezzlement case.
Sturgeon's lawyer Aamer Anwar said doing so was based on standard legal advice and added that the former MSP later insisted on providing a “detailed written response” to the police questions.
In a new statement on Wednesday evening Anwar (above) reiterated the earlier points while responding directly to the claims from Findlay, and reminded the public that despite a lengthy Police Scotland investigation, no charges were ever brought against his client.
“Ms Sturgeon’s position is no different to that already issued in relation to Mr Murrell’s criminality and betrayal," he said. "Whether Mr Murrell was buying pepper grinders, pens or Nintendo etc etc, Ms Sturgeon was unaware of his criminal conduct.
"If would appear some ‘armchair detectives’ think they are better placed than the gold-plated investigation of Police Scotland and now wish to try Ms Sturgeon for crimes she has not committed, fortunately that is not how our justice system works.
"Had there been any evidence of criminality against Ms Sturgeon, then there can be no doubt that she would have been charged, prosecuted and presently be behind bars.
"On what happens next I would hope as leader of the Conservative Party in Scotland and a former accomplished journalist, Mr Findlay would be aware that the Crown Office will take all necessary steps in relation to proceeds of crime and I doubt they need any advice from him or others on what to do in court.”
Meanwhile on Wednesday the SNP were facing mounting calls to stage an independent investigation into their finances in the wake of Murrell's crimes – with former Scottish Government cabinet secretary and keen Sturgeon critic Alex Neil saying the party “absolutely” needs to act.
Neil (below) said he wanted to see a senior lawyer appointed to probe the party’s governance arrangements and how it handles its finances.
Speaking on BBC Radio Scotland’s Breakfast programme he said: “The SNP has to hold an independent inquiry, held by a senior KC and that would start with an audit of the current governing processes within the SNP and how the money is managed.”
He insisted that was necessary because Sturgeon had told party members that “the SNP finances were fine” while “her husband was dipping into the till to a huge extent, over £400,000”.
As a result Neil insisted that “assurances from the current leadership isn’t enough”.
He stated: “If we want to raise the kind of money we want to raise in the future, both for the party and for the independence cause, then potential donors have to be persuaded any money they give will be properly managed.
“And that I think can only come from having an independent review to make sure that the party is doing everything it possibly can so we can never ever again have a repeat of the Peter Murrell episode.”
