Former Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon has claimed she knew nothing about a £100,000 car bought by her ex-husband Peter Murrell because it was hidden near his parents’ home.
The car was one of the more extravagant purchases made by the former SNP chief executive using funds embezzled from party members.
Murrell – who was married to Sturgeon throughout his £400,000 purchase – pleaded guilty to the 12-year embezzlement this week.
In an interview with BBCS ‘ Laura Kuensberg today, Sturgeon was repeatedly asked how she couldn’t have spotted her then-husband splashing out on a range of luxury goods.
She said the couple were both high earners, had no children and rarely went on vacation, so she assumed he had the disposable income to afford it.
Asked why she did not question the motorhome parked outside a house belonging to her in-laws, she said she visited their house ‘less than a few times’.
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Sturgeon continued: ‘My mother and father-in-law’s house has a driveway in front of their house where we used to park the car, then walk into the house.
‘Where the motorhome was, it was around the side of the house, which is not immediately visible the way we entered the house, and it’s between their house and the neighbour’s house.
“I honestly, honestly don’t have any conscious memory of seeing that motorhome – if I did, I probably would have assumed it was a neighbor’s.”
As well as the vehicle, Murrell also spent money on items including expensive watches, pens, kitchen appliances, toilet seats and DVDs.
The former first minister has come under intense scrutiny over what she did or didn’t know about her husband’s crimes in the days since he pleaded guilty.
Sturgeon told the BBC she felt like she was serving a sentence for one crIme I did not commit’.
She added: “I will take responsibility for the things I do, the decisions I make. I’m sitting here with you right now, answering questions because I strongly believe in that responsibility.
“But I am not responsible for the crimes my ex-husband committed, and I will not apologize for anyone else’s crimes.”
Murrell, 62, was remanded in custody after admitting embezzling £400,310.65 of party funds in Supreme Court in Edinburgh on Monday.
He served as chief executive of the SNP from 2001 to 2023, while Sturgeon was ScotlandFirst Minister from 2014 until her resignation in 2023.
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