Former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon stated she was deceived, betrayed, and lied to by her estranged husband, Peter Murrell, after he admitted to embezzling hundreds of thousands of pounds from the Scottish National Party (SNP). The comments came during Sturgeon's first public appearance since Murrell pleaded guilty earlier this week.

Murrell pleaded guilty on Monday at the High Court in Edinburgh to embezzling £400,310.65 from the SNP between August 2010 and October 2022. The funds were reportedly used to purchase luxury goods, jewellery, cosmetics, two cars, and a motorhome.

Speaking at a literary festival in Listowel, County Kerry, where she was promoting her memoir "Frankly," Sturgeon described the past week as the worst of her life. She told the audience that she is "coming to terms with being married to someone I did not know at all." She added, "Just as other people have been, I have been deceived. I have been misled, I have been lied to and I have been betrayed, and I won't be the last woman who has been betrayed by her husband."

Sturgeon, who was questioned by detectives as part of the police investigation but not charged, acknowledged the difficult process of dealing with the revelations in the public eye. She indicated that she would likely need professional help, stating, "this is a long-winded way of saying I am not OK." However, she expressed confidence in her resilience, adding, "I will be OK, I am a strong resilient person, I have had to be over the last few years, but this is a tough thing to come to terms (with)."

Murrell has been remanded in custody and faces a potential lengthy prison sentence when he is sentenced on June 23. An examination of the facts surrounding the case is scheduled for June 2.

Sturgeon's memoir promotion in Ireland marks her return to public engagements following the conclusion of the police investigation, dubbed Operation Branchform, into SNP finances. The former leader has consistently denied any personal knowledge of Murrell's alleged criminal activities throughout the investigation.

Her comments highlight the personal toll of the embezzlement scandal, particularly as she navigates its fallout while promoting her personal reflections in her memoir. The situation presents a complex personal and political challenge for the former SNP leader.

The case continues to draw significant attention, with questions remaining about the full extent of the embezzlement and its implications for the SNP.