Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s former first minister, is no longer under investigation as part of the police case looking into alleged mishandling of Scottish National party funds.
Police Scotland said Sturgeon would not face any charges after her former husband, Peter Murrell, appeared for a private hearing at Edinburgh sheriff court on a single charge of embezzlement on Thursday.
Sturgeon, 54, and the former SNP treasurer Colin Beattie, 73, were arrested in 2023 as part of Operation Branchform, a long-running police inquiry into allegations that up to £650,000 of SNP funds had been handled fraudulently.
In a statement, Police Scotland said: “Following direction from the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, criminal inquiries into two people arrested as part of the investigation into the funding and finances of the Scottish National party have now concluded.
“The 73-year-old man arrested on 18 April 2023 and the 54-year-old woman arrested on 11 June 2023 have not been charged and are no longer under investigation.”
The confirmation came after it emerged that Murrell, who served as the SNP’s chief executive for 22 years, had made no plea during his court appearance, a routine hearing which formally begins the prosecution process.
More details soon …
