Peter Murrell sentence: How long could former SNP chief executive spend in prison?

In practice, Lord Young is likely to set a confiscation order reflecting the total benefit from the embezzlement and the motorhome’s residual value would simply count toward satisfying that broader order.

It would most likely be sold, with the proceeds applied to the confiscation amount.

Either way, Murrell won’t be getting it back.

Murrell is set to face legal action to recover the money he embezzled.

The judge is likely to make a confiscation order which requires payment to the state. The law does not allow the Crown to confiscate property or assets directly – it’s an order for payment.

Normally the courts grant six months to pay.

Failure to pay can result in a jail term – but even that doesn’t cancel out the debt.

The amount actually recovered in cases like this often falls well short of the amount embezzled – especially if the money has been spent on consumables, holidays, and luxury goods that depreciate.

When that happens, there can be relatively little left to confiscate.

And if there’s a shortfall between the amount clawed back by selling these items and the £400,000 total, Murrell would still be liable for that difference.