Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Are we allowed to talk about Peter Faulding?

203 replies

Sep200024 · 19/02/2023 18:32

I just can’t understand what he was thinking??

On the one hand, very kindly donating his time and expertise.

On the other hand, he turned this case into a circus.

His categorical declarations sent people wild with speculation. It’s awful, and I just can’t understand why he did it.

OP posts:
picklemewalnuts · 19/02/2023 18:33

Me too. I was shocked at the time- it seemed really inappropriate, and started wild hares running all over.

bellac11 · 19/02/2023 18:35

I thought it was a bit odd at the time but to be honest didnt really know much about the situation then

I would hope his manager will speak to him about why he was so inappropriate.

xJoy · 19/02/2023 18:37

I think it might have been the first time the police didn't share all the details with him and he couldn't grasp that he's not a member of the police force.

I'm in Ireland and so miles away from this tragedy but I was annoyed early on on behalf of the uk police!!! Who did he think he was?! You don't just assume that the police are obliged to accept the help of all local 'experts'. I know he is an expert of sorts.

MyOwnVolt · 19/02/2023 18:39

He’s acted in a hideously egotistical and unprofessional way. The media have completely given him a platform he should never have had.

Calistan · 19/02/2023 18:40

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

userxx · 19/02/2023 18:41

MyOwnVolt · 19/02/2023 18:39

He’s acted in a hideously egotistical and unprofessional way. The media have completely given him a platform he should never have had.

Absolutely this. He's an egomaniac, I disliked him the minute I saw him on the tv.

userxx · 19/02/2023 18:43

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

It's pretty insulting to all those who go missing isn't it. The majority of people don't even get a mention.

RafaistheKingofClay · 19/02/2023 18:43

MyOwnVolt · 19/02/2023 18:39

He’s acted in a hideously egotistical and unprofessional way. The media have completely given him a platform he should never have had.

I suspect the role of the media in this circus will largely go unanalysed. Lancs police on the other hand will be put through the wringer.

absolutely no way he should have been given airtime to say what he did in the first couple of interviews. And I think that probably goes for a lot of the ex police officers criticising what the police had and hadn’t done when they had no idea WTF the police were doing.

LakeTiticaca · 19/02/2023 18:44

userxx · 19/02/2023 18:43

It's pretty insulting to all those who go missing isn't it. The majority of people don't even get a mention.

Wow I hope none of her loved ones are reading this

unclebuck · 19/02/2023 18:44

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Sep200024 · 19/02/2023 18:46

I guess Peter was part of the reason for such a high level of attention.

What was a fairly high profile missing person case, became a global mystery on an enormous scale because of his attestations.

It’s mind-boggling.

I suspect any of the reputable news outlets will be thinking twice before ever letting him speak about anything again.

OP posts:
Meltinthemiddle · 19/02/2023 18:51

To be honest I didn't take much notice to what he said. I just put my trust in the police and hoped they knew what they were doing with the information they had. They police have been heavily criticised by the media, Mps and even ex police when they were actually doing their job and putting all their resources in finding Nikki rather then pleasing the media and public. They only disclosed information because some low life was about to sell it to the media. And yet they still came under fire. Shame on everyone who joined this circus.

Meltinthemiddle · 19/02/2023 18:52

Oh let's see how PF book will do now!

SallyWD · 19/02/2023 18:56

I found his behaviour to be very strange. Usually you don't hear a word from the people searching rivers etc but he was constantly in the papers making very bold claims about his own capabilities, talking about abduction and stalkers etc.
In comparison I think the police did well. It seems they conducted a very thorough investigation and searched extensively on land and water. I felt uncomfortable when details of Nicola's menopause and drinking came out but have heard this info was about to be revealed by the press so they wanted to get in first. Or perhaps they just felt backed in to a corner by the constant criticism and speculation. Apart from those revelations I think they did everything right.

TellMeAboutItAnotherTime · 19/02/2023 18:56

Sorry, but what did the police do wrong?

pigsinoodies · 19/02/2023 19:01

The man is disgusting. I hope he loses all the contracts his company has with the police after interfering so badly with a police investigation.

BentleyRhythmAce · 19/02/2023 19:10

We shouldn't even know his name. He should have just got on with it and quietly helped if he wanted to. Instead we're talking about him because he's thrust himself into the spotlight.

Roominmyhouse · 19/02/2023 19:11

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

SweetSakura · 19/02/2023 19:13

I totally agree. His boasts and claims made things far worse and stirred up distrust in the police too

(Although individuals who swallowed his claims wholesale could do with some self-reflection too)

FictionalCharacter · 19/02/2023 19:14

Headlines like this are a disgrace: https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/news/nicola-bulley-search-expert-peter-26278146
He put one sentence on social media and it’s being reported as a headline about his “statement”! This is on several other news outlets too.
They’ve allowed him to make this all about him. I can see that people like him want to be centre stage when they really should not be. But I don’t understand why the media are indulging him.

userxx · 19/02/2023 19:17

@LakeTiticaca Why ? They'll be aware this case has seen unprecedented media attention. They've been on the receiving end of horrific gossip and speculation that has brought out the cranks and sick fucks. Many on MN.

Hopefully the family can now get some closure and move away from the circus which has been their lives in recent weeks.

pigsinoodies · 19/02/2023 19:18

If he was a police employee he'd undoubtedly be dismissed for what he's done. I don't see why he should avoid consequences just because he's a contractor.

If he worked for my local force I'd have been firing off emails to the Police and Crime Commissioner and the Chief Constable for the last fortnight.

AnotherSpare · 19/02/2023 19:19

He hugely overstepped his part. He's an industry specialist who could have offered his help to the police and carried out the job without any attention whatsoever but he lapped up the publicity and turned a missing person case into a media circus.

Greensleevevssnotnose · 19/02/2023 19:19

Should I know who he is?

LakeTiticaca · 19/02/2023 19:21

I hope he now issues a heartfelt apology to the police after his very public criticism.
I, like many others who grew up on the Fylde coast probably had the same feeling, she sadly went into the river.
Yet still the social media experts keep churning out their stupid theories, like why wasn't she found before etc etc, while knowing full well that it can take a long time (or sometimes never) for remains to surface from a body of water.
The media sites are no better posting "updates" literally every 5 minutes and encouraging people to make allsorts of rubbish up!!