Police Scotland hand report to prosecutors following charging of Peter Murrell with embezzlement

Police Scotland has handed a report to prosecutors after Peter Murrell was last month charged with embezzlement.

The former SNP chief executive, and husband of Nicola Sturgeon, was taken into custody on April 18 and subsequently charged by officers investigating party finances as part of Operation Branchform.

The Crown Office has today also confirmed that connected investigations into Sturgeon and Colin Beattie, the former SNP treasurer, "remain ongoing".

It will be up to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) to decide whether Murrell's case should ultimately be brought to court.

In a statement issued at 5pm, Police Scotland said it had submitted a "standard prosecution report" to the COPFS in relation to a 59-year-old man who was charged "in connection with the embezzlement of funds from the SNP".

A spokesperson for the COPFS said: "A standard prosecution report has been received from Police Scotland in relation to a 59-year-old man and incidents said to have occurred between 2016 and 2023.

"Connected investigations of two other individuals, a man aged 72 and a 53-year-old woman, remain ongoing.

"Professional prosecutors from COPFS and independent counsel will review this report. They will make decisions on the next steps without involving the Lord Advocate or Solicitor General. All Scotland's prosecutors operate independently of political influence.

"Before deciding what action to take, if any, in the public interest, prosecutors will consider if there is enough evidence. There must be evidence from at least two separate sources to establish that a crime was committed and that the person under investigation was the perpetrator.

"This evaluation will involve a thorough examination of the numerous witness statements and extensive evidence collected by police. Prosecutors may instruct the police to conduct further investigations before taking a decision.

"Decisions on how to proceed are taken by prosecutors acting independently, and are based upon available evidence, legal principles, and the merits of each case. They are not influenced by political events.

"When making a decision, prosecutors will consider all the specific facts and circumstances of a case."

Beattie, an MSP and former long-serving party treasurer, was arrested and questioned by detectives on April 18 last year in connection with Operation Branchform. He was released without charge that same day, pending further investigations.

Sturgeon was arrested on June 11 last year and questioned by officers for several hours before being released without charge.

The former SNP leader has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.

Detectives launched Operation Branchform in July 2021 following complaints over how the party had spent £600,000-worth of donations supposedly ring-fenced for independence campaigning.

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