How long could Peter Murrell spend in prison?

How long could Peter Murrell spend in prison?2 hours agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleDavid HendersonScotland news correspondentAlan SimpsonMurrell was remanded in custody following the short court appearance A hefty custodial sentence is almost certain for Peter Murrell after the former SNP chief executive admitted embezzling more than £400,000 from the party.Under the Scottish legal system there are no formal sentencing guidelines for embezzlement like there are in England.That means you have to look to previous case law to see what might happen when the 61-year-old is sentenced next month.His case is being dealt with in the High Court of Justiciary, where judges can impose a life sentence and an unlimited fine - and people convicted of embezzling more than £100,000 are usually jailed.Scotland's courts consistently identify the same aggravating factors in embezzlement cases.These include:the amount involvedhow long the offending took placewhether it only stopped because it was discoveredthe nature and degree of the trust betrayedwhether the accused held a public office or professional positionthe impact on the victimwhether the money is recoverableand whether there is a need for the sentence to act as a deterrentIn this case, Peter Murrell was chief executive of a political party.He embezzled more than £400,000 over more than a decade and falsified records to disguise personal spending - so most of those aggravating factors are at a high level.Former SNP MP Natalie McGarry was jailed for two years after being convicted of embezzling £25,000 from Women for Independence and the Glasgow Regional Association.If that case is the benchmark - with around a month in jail for every £1,000 embezzled - then Murrell could be behind bars for a very long time.Coffee machines, fountain pens and Grand Theft Auto: How Murrell spent the money'I'm the man with the money,' Murrell told Shetland jewellerFormer SNP chief executive Peter Murrell in custody after...