Exclusive:Peter Murrell has legal aid pulled
Questions had been raised about the fact Peter Murrell was receiving legal aid despite having a variety of income sources
Peter Murrell has had his legal aid pulled after details of the financial circumstances of the former chief executive of the SNP emerged, The Scotsman can reveal.
The Scottish Legal Aid Board (SLAB) confirmed it has stopped providing funds for Mr Murrell, who was jailed in June for five years after pleading guilty to embezzling more than £400,000 from his party.
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In April last year, his application for means tested financial support from the public purse was granted.
However, questions had been raised about the use of taxpayers’ money to fund his legal defence after details of his finances emerged.
A spokesman for the Scottish Legal Aid Board said the organisation is bound by legal restrictions in what it can disclose.
He said: “Legal aid and data protection legislation strictly limits what SLAB can disclose about individual applications.”
However, the spokesman added: “We can confirm the individual is no longer in receipt of legal aid.”
Legal applications are processed using an assessment of salary, money in bank accounts and investments.
Successful applications may still be reviewed during the lifetime of the case.
It is understood that SLAB has maintained contact with Murrell and his solicitors about his circumstances.
Murrell, 61. and his solicitor were informed on July 28 that legal aid was being terminated.
The former husband of Nicola Sturgeon used money stolen from the SNP to buy a vast range of goods from the notorious motorhome and cars to high end kitchenware and luxury toiletries.
In July last year news of his successful legal aid claim became public for the first time.
In August this year, SNP accounts showed Murrell was still owed £60,000 from a loan he gave the SNP in 2021.
It emerged in October 2025 that Murrell had a part-share in a villa in Portugal, which had been sold six months after his legal aid claim was granted.
Owned by Murrell, his sister and family friends, the villa was sold for a sum believed to be between £350,000 and £500,000.
At the time, SLAB said Murrell still met the relevant legal tests to be entitled to financial support.
Around the time of his sentencing hearing in May, proceeds-of-crime proceedings revealed Murrell had two pension pots worth around £613,000.
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His share in the former marital home was valued at about £83,000.
Murrell's lawyer also told the court his client would be capable of repaying the £400,000 he embezzled from his personal funds.
In June this year, SLAB said it had paid £4831 in legal aid for Murrell’s lawyers.
SLAB would not say whether it would pursue Murrell to repay the legal aid funding already paid out to his representatives.
However, regulations detailed on its website are clear this option is available to the organisation.
The body would also not be drawn on the specific reasons why it had taken the step to block his funding.
Murrell, who is serving five years and three months in HMP Dumfries, was due to appear at the High Court in Edinburgh on September 14 for Crown lawyers to attempt to recover the money he embezzled.
However, the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service (SCTS) confirmed a judge had agreed to postpone the hearing until December 7.
Both sides asked for it to be adjourned.
While a spokesman would not confirm why legal aid had been withdrawn, the SLAB website contains detailed guidance outlining why it would cease criminal legal aid.
The guidance sets out that legal aid will be stopped if the claimant has not abided by the rules setting out what information should be provided to SLAB.
It also says knowing making a false statement or false representation to SLAB would justify ending funding.
Guidance also states legal aid will be stopped is the person gives false information about their financial circumstances.
It also sets out that SLAB may take steps to recover any fees paid out.
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