One of the most significant chapters in modern Scottish political history reached a dramatic conclusion today (Tuesday) as former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell was jailed for five years and three months after admitting embezzling more than £400,000 from the party.

The 61 year old was sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh following his conviction on 25 May for embezzling funds from the SNP over a prolonged period, bringing to an end a case that has cast a long shadow over Scottish politics.

Murrell occupied one of the most influential positions in Scottish public life for decades, overseeing the day to day operations of the governing party during a period when it dominated elections and shaped much of Scotland’s political landscape.

Following the sentencing, the SNP, Police Scotland and opposition politicians all responded to the outcome, reflecting the scale and significance of the case.

An SNP spokesperson said:

“The Scottish National Party welcomes the sentencing of Peter Murrell today for embezzling hundreds of thousands of pounds from us.

“As Chief Executive, Peter Murrell was placed in a position of significant trust by the SNP, and he breached that trust in the most appalling manner.

“While Peter Murrell’s sentencing does offer significant closure for SNP members, we are still seeking recovery of the money he embezzled to allow us to spend it on the purposes for which our dedicated donors intended.

“Under the leadership of John Swinney, the party has undergone significant reform of its governance procedures.

“The SNP is in a healthy financial position and as we saw in last month’s election that is enabling us to campaign to improve the lives of the people of Scotland, and win our nation’s independence.”

Police Scotland said the sentence demonstrated that no individual was beyond the reach of the law.

Assistant Chief Constable Stuart Houston, who oversaw Operation Branchform, said:

“Today’s sentencing of Peter Murrell and a sentence of such duration is proof that those who flout the law, who break the trust of those around them, and who embezzle vast sums of money will not escape justice, regardless of how high a profile or role they may hold.

“Operation Branchform has been an extremely detailed, complex and intricate enquiry, carried out over a protracted period of time in order to ensure a thorough investigation which fully exposed the extent of this wrongdoing, committed over a sustained period of time.

“Murrell occupied a significant position of privilege and power in public life in Scotland, entrusted to oversee the day-to-day operations of the country’s governing political party.

“His undeniably deliberate and calculated actions to mislead and steal for his own personal gain has proved his disregard for those who placed their trust in him.

“People came forward and told us of their sense and experiences of things not being right, and they are to be publicly commended, their statements, combined with our investigations, have led to the outcome we see today.

“Through ongoing close work with key criminal justice partners, including the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, this enquiry resulted in the compilation of such a robust case that an early admission of guilt was secured, enabling proceedings to conclude sooner rather than later.

“My sincere thanks go to the officers and staff of Police Scotland, who have committed their specialist knowledge, professionalism, commitment and expertise to this matter from start to finish, and without whom we would not have been able to achieve justice.

“Work remains to be undertaken in regards to the Proceeds of Crime Act relating to this case by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service.

“Police Scotland, and in particular the Cyber and Fraud Unit, will assist in this process and in any further investigations which may be required.”

The sentencing also prompted renewed calls from opposition politicians for further scrutiny of the circumstances surrounding the case.

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole Hamilton said:

“This is hugely embarrassing for the SNP top brass who missed what was going on under their noses and then sought to downplay it after it was exposed.

“Peter Murrell was at the centre of the SNP for decades.

“He was close to everyone at the top of this SNP Government. He was undoubtedly one of the most powerful men in the country.

“He has still not explained why he did what he did.

“I am surprised that no one SNP parliamentarian is interested in finding out exactly how deep Murrell’s crimes went.

“John Swinney’s refusal to sanction an inquiry into whether public money was stolen looks nakedly self-serving.

“With the SNP and their Green allies blocking such a probe at Holyrood, the UK Parliament’s Scottish Affairs committee should step in.”

While the criminal proceedings have now concluded, questions about governance, oversight and the recovery of embezzled funds are likely to remain part of Scotland’s political debate for some time to come.