Peter Murrell's Sentence

Betony

Hmm. Wonder if he'll get treatment in prison for a 'spending addiction' or something similar? With treatment for an unfortunate psychological condition and a promise to pay back the loot, he'll probably be out in a few months.
I'm prompted to post this because I've just listened to a repeat on Radio 4 Extra of 'It's a Fair Cop', which featured a clerk who stole goods from her firm and sold them on eBay in order to pay for her addiction to Bingo! She got a suspended sentence and support to cure her addiction, with no mention of paying back the value of the goods.

Rather than making assumptions about when he’ll be released, why don’t you read up on what will actually happen to him ( and anyone else in his position?? The case you quote was in no way comparable and as you say, she was given a suspended sentence. As for PM he will be considered for parole halfway through his sentence.

There's a tiny part of me that feels there's something poignant about a grown man amassing all those luxury home making items some of which were never used ...

Nell82

There's a tiny part of me that feels there's something poignant about a grown man amassing all those luxury home making items some of which were never used ...

Yes I agree. Poignant is a good word. I can’t understand some of the vitriol and vindictiveness on this thread. There are much much worse fraudsters out there who have ruined people’s lives. The only life ruined here is PM’s and for what?

I don’t feel in the least sorry for the man and think the sentence seems about right.He has lost his wife, home and any credibility through his fraudulent spending.

I think the thing is, he has lost his "life", and that 5 years is in addition to the public humiliation. That is sufficient punishment, in my opinion.

I witnessed a fraud within a workplace, it caused very severe distress to those who were 'conned'. I think this kind of fraud causes considerable damage. I think there is something about fraud that is linked to class, it is often a middle class crime and is viewed in a different way to orher forms of theft.

Nell82

There's a tiny part of me that feels there's something poignant about a grown man amassing all those luxury home making items some of which were never used ...

I think a bit of me feels the same. What motivated him? His wife had such a high profile here in Scotland, not to mention a high opinion of herself, did he do it to live up to her? “I’m the man with the money” sounded pathetic to me. But I think he should serve his time and then sink into obscurity. Unlike his estranged wife …

I think having even a scintilla of sympathy for him is part of being human. As I said there are really wicked fraudsters out there that I wouldn’t feel like that - remember Robert Maxwell who stole his employees pension funds which meant an impoverished retirement for many? And those who conned life savings out of their victims? I know he embezzled other people’s money and of course it’s right he’s being punished but he hadn’t ruined anyone’s life ( other than his own) or given them a poor retirement. I expect his real crime for those who are so hard on him is that he was an SNP member and married to NS

I expect the real reason that many feel sympathy for him is it is tricky sometimes to acknowledge that they believed in a con man.
The adults are back in the room and all that jazz.

I don’t know, I think there is a certain pathetic aspect to the people who commit this kind of crime, because it stems from their own sense of their lack of worth. I knew a girl at work who always talked about, and spent lots of money on, holidays and clothes, and turned out to have been fiddling the other members of a lottery syndicate she ran. She ended up in court too. It wasn’t on the same scale, but she lost everything, her job her friends, and her reputation. She disappeared from our town, I don’t think she could have endured the stares and gossip, I still wonder what happened to her.

Tuliptree

Nell82

There's a tiny part of me that feels there's something poignant about a grown man amassing all those luxury home making items some of which were never used ...

Yes I agree. Poignant is a good word. I can’t understand some of the vitriol and vindictiveness on this thread. There are much much worse fraudsters out there who have ruined people’s lives. The only life ruined here is PM’s and for what?

Not just his life.

His fraud ended his wife's career; did huge damage to the the credibility of the Scottish Govt, the SNP , and rocked supporters of Scottish Independence. It's also raised questions about the response of the First Minister, Swinney ; and about a SNP Treasurer and senior politicians who resigned because they'd been denied access to the accounts. Even the party's AUDITORS resigned .

There is a huge stench of shit backed up in the sewers of Scottish politics , waiting to hit the fan now the court and sentencing are over.

Tuliptree

I think having even a scintilla of sympathy for him is part of being human. As I said there are really wicked fraudsters out there that I wouldn’t feel like that - remember Robert Maxwell who stole his employees pension funds which meant an impoverished retirement for many? And those who conned life savings out of their victims? I know he embezzled other people’s money and of course it’s right he’s being punished but he hadn’t ruined anyone’s life ( other than his own) or given them a poor retirement. I expect his real crime for those who are so hard on him is that he was an SNP member and married to NS

Not just "a member of SNP".

He was the Chief Executive of the SNP. Right at the top of the Govt administration for 20 years.

I have some sympathy for the man. I always wondered if he had a spending addiction. He seemed to spend it on odd things, hair straightners. He is bald.
I still think he should be punished. He can pay back the money, but I think the sentance seemed a bit long.

I think it's about right.
He wouldn't have done it if he thought there was a chance he'd get 5 years in prison for it, that's for sure.