Role of Scotland’s top law officer questioned after ‘bombshell’ over Peter Murrell charges

Lord advocate Dorothy Bain informed first minister of embezzlement charges against former SNP chief executive a year before they were made public

Serious doubts have been raised about the dual role of Scotland’s top law officer after it emerged that the first minister was informed of criminal charges against Peter Murrell nearly a year before they were made public.

The lord advocate, Dorothy Bain, who acts as Scotland’s chief prosecutor as well as the government’s principal legal adviser in cabinet, has faced calls to resign but the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service maintains she was acting in line with her duties.