The High Court in Edinburgh sentenced Peter Murrell (L), the former chief executive of the ruling-Scottish National Party, on Tuesday to five years and three months in prison for theft. File Photo by Robert Perry/EPA
June 23 (UPI) -- A court in Edinburgh sentenced Peter Murrell, the former chief executive of the ruling-Scottish National Party, to five years and three months in prison on Tuesday after pleading guilty to embezzling $529,000 from the party.
Murrell, the now ex-husband of former Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon received a 21-month discount on the seven-year sentence Judge Lord Young could have imposed in exchange for his guilty plea, avoiding a trial.
Telling Murrell he wanted to make an example of him, Young said his "calculated crime of dishonesty" constituted a "significant breach of trust" that impacted both his party and members of the public who donated to it.
"One factor in the sentence I impose today will be to act as a deterrent to any senior officials in other large organizations who might be tempted to abuse their position in the way you did," said Young.
