First Minister John Swinney said he was “horrified” by the “overwhelming betrayal” of Peter Murrell after the SNP’s former CEO admitted embezzling £400,000 in party funds.

The disgraced party official committed the offences between August 2010 and October 2022, beginning within a month of his marriage to Nicola Sturgeon who became First Minister in 2014.

He now faces a lengthy prison term when he his sentenced on 23 June.

At a hastily arranged press conference, following the hearing at the High Court in Edinburgh, Mr Swinney was clearly emotional.

“By embezzling from the SNP, Peter Murrell was stealing the hopes, the dreams and the aspirations of thousands of people all over Scotland,” he said. “These circumstances should never have arisen.”

Ms Sturgeon, who was arrested and later released without charge, issued a statement through her solicitor Aamer Anwar repeating her ignorance of her now-ex husband’s behaviour. She said she had “seen questions raised [in the media] about how I could not have known about this”.

She added: “In relation to many of the items in question, for example expensive watches and games consoles, I was not aware of them having been purchased at all.

“Indeed in relation to the item of largest value – a campervan – I was not aware of its existence until it featured in the police investigation in early 2023, nor was it parked in our driveway as has been claimed by some.

‘In respect of any items I was aware of Peter having purchased, I had no reason to doubt that he had used his own money.

“We were both earning high salaries and, due to the responsibilities of my job, rarely socialised or went on holidays. We had separate bank accounts and I had no access to his financial records.”

Murrell appeared at a preliminary hearing which had been scheduled to take place in Glasgow in February.

The 61-year-old, who is now estranged from Ms Sturgeon, used the money to buy more than 90 items including a motorhome, two cars and a series of luxury goods.

He was arrested in April 2023 as part of the Operation Branchform police investigation into the SNP’s finances, and was charged in April 2024.

The money had been raised by the party for the independence campaign, but Murrell used the money for a spending spree.

Among the items he bought were a £124,550 for a luxury motorhome, and a £57,500 Jaguar I-PACE. He also bought a Volkswagen Golf, two Bremont watches for a total of £9,350 and spent thousands on a fountain pen and wine coaster.

They also included a 9ct gold pendant depicting the Northern Lights, a gift to Ms Sturgeon which she was seen wearing on television.