Nicola Sturgeon’s neighbours describe huge police raid on her home
'You think of murders when you see a forensic tent': Nicola Sturgeon's neighbours describe huge police raid on ex-First Minister's detached home over missing SNP cash, with dozens of officers swarming property and garden after her husband's arrest
- Dozens of officers searched the home of Nicola Sturgeon and Peter Murrell
It is the home of Scotland's most prominent power couple – former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon[2] and her husband Peter Murrell.
But the tranquillity of their Uddingston estate, where houses can fetch more than £300,000, was shattered yesterday as police raided the detached property.
An intense search involving dozens of officers was last night continuing as part of a major investigation into the Scottish National Party[3]'s finances.
Neighbours said they saw Ms Sturgeon being driven away from the house in a black Volvo XC90 at around 8.10am yesterday, just over half an hour after police descended on the estate on the outskirts of Glasgow[4].
An intense search involving dozens of officers was last night continuing as part of a major investigation into the Scottish National Party's finances. Pictured: Officers from Police Scotland stand outside the home of former chief executive of the Scottish National Party (SNP) Peter Murrell, in Uddingston, Glasgow on Wednesday
Officers were also seen taking photographs (pictured) on Wednesday beside the glass-walled sun room, which had its blinds tightly drawn, and carrying a spade and blue tarpaulin sheets as every inch was scoured for clues
Sources claimed the couple had not been given advance warning of the investigators' arrival on Wednesday. Nicola Sturgeon and Peter Murrell are pictured together in 2019
A large blue and white police tent was swiftly put in place over a van parked on the driveway and screens were also erected to shield the garage and downstairs windows from prying eyes.
The back garden was the focus of much of the police activity, and officers were seen taking evidence bags away.
About six officers, one with a laptop computer, were seen studying an area behind the conservatory and what appeared to be a small CCTV camera mounted on a post on the back fence.
Officers were also seen taking photographs beside the glass-walled sun room, which had its blinds tightly drawn, and carrying a spade and blue tarpaulin sheets as every inch was scoured for clues.
Around eight uniformed officers were stationed at the front of the house beside three police vans – two marked and one unmarked – and tape was used to cordon off the property and its driveway.
The garage door was opened behind the blue police screen and officers could be seen looking about inside and taking photographs.
One neighbour said: 'I'd see him quite a lot outside the house and the garage door would often be open, it looked like it was used for storage and never for the car. He was usually always friendly and happy to chat.
The back garden was the focus of much of the police activity, and officers were seen taking evidence bags away. Pictured: Police searching at Peter Murrell's house on Wednesday
Officers picked up garden tools, checked a storage box and removed the cover of a barbecue during their search on Wednesday (pictured)
'I saw him on Saturday. He seemed subdued. I made a comment about all the social media scrutiny they'd been under and he just shrugged.
'They are good neighbours but who knows when they'll be back after this. It looks as if it will be going on for days.'
The black Peugeot 208 car used by Mr Murrell was still plugged into a charger on the driveway yesterday with black tape covering its front number plate. Ms Sturgeon had also been seen having a driving lesson on the quiet residential street on Tuesday evening.
But by mid-morning yesterday the road was swarming with police, journalists and bystanders, with people in neighbouring houses craning out of upstairs windows for a view of the search.
One resident said: 'It all happened very quickly. The police arrived and it was obvious there was something major going on. They said there was nothing to worry about as you do wonder what's going on when you see a big police tent.'
Police used the driveway of the couple's next-door neighbours to park one of their vans to avoid blocking the road on the small estate close to the M73. Bottles of water were handed out to the officers standing guard, and a crate containing food was also delivered as the search went into the afternoon.
Black plastic tiles were used to protect the front lawn as a stream of officers headed in and out of the property.
The garage door was opened behind the blue police screen (pictured) and officers could be seen looking about inside and taking photographs on Wednesday
Blue bags (pictured) were also taken out of the back of vans and towards the front door, and a line of cable was laid in the tent across the lawn and driveway
A green and a brown wheelie bin marked with their house number had been left on the lawn, and the green bin was emptied when the council refuse lorry drove through the estate at lunchtime. Last night, Police Scotland confirmed that officers arrived at the house to arrest Mr Murrell at 7.35am while Ms Sturgeon was still at home.
Sources claimed the couple had not been given advance warning of their arrival yesterday.
Neighbours saw search teams arriving less than an hour later, with some at first fearing that someone must have been hurt.
One said: 'You think of murders when you see a forensic tent. I've never seen anything like it.'
During the afternoon, officers combed a small wooden shed in the modest back garden.
They wore blue forensic gloves as they picked up garden tools, checked a storage box and removed the cover of a barbecue.
The white back door was propped open as officers went in and out of the garden, seeming to focus on areas around the conservatory.
A neighbour said Mr Murrell usually tended the unfenced front garden and would be seen cutting the grass.
The house appears to have a burglar alarm fitted as well as CCTV cameras, and there is a small satellite dish on a side wall.
At 2.25pm, around a dozen officers arrived in a marked police van and went inside, some carrying rucksacks.
Blue bags were also taken out of the back of vans and towards the front door, and a line of cable was laid in the tent across the lawn and driveway. Police maintained a high-profile presence throughout the day, with pairs of officers wearing hi-vis jackets making occasional patrols around the nearby streets.
Just before 8pm the tent outside the house was unzipped and a white unmarked police Mercedes van was driven out.
Lights were switched on in the house as officers carried on with the search.
References
- ^ Krissy Storrar (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Nicola Sturgeon (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Scottish National Party (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Glasgow (www.dailymail.co.uk)