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Original poster

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:
YesYou · 19/02/2023 19:22

"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."

His manager? 🤣

pigsinoodies · 19/02/2023 19:25

Greensleevevssnotnose · 19/02/2023 19:19

Should I know who he is?

No, you shouldn't, and nor should any of us. That's the point!

Longwhiskers · 19/02/2023 19:25

I did wonder at the time why he just couldn’t get on with the search quietly and with dignity. He seemed to constantly be opening his mouth to voice his opinion.

pigsinoodies · 19/02/2023 19:27

Longwhiskers · 19/02/2023 19:25

I did wonder at the time why he just couldn’t get on with the search quietly and with dignity. He seemed to constantly be opening his mouth to voice his opinion.

And to tell us about his vast experience, his much-better-than-anyone's equipment, his vast experience, his police contracts, and his vast experience.

pigsinoodies · 19/02/2023 19:28

Not to mention fuelling all the speculation about 'decoys', 'third parties' and burials.

The man's a disgrace.

VladmirsPoutine · 19/02/2023 19:29

But Nikki's husband also expressed he felt she wasn't in the river. I do think he behaved inappropriately with his declarations but as of yet we don't know exactly what happened so he might very well be vindicated - but again, he's massively egotistical.

pigsinoodies · 19/02/2023 19:30

It makes no difference if he's vindicated. There was no need for him to help whip up a media frenzy. No need for him to comment at all.

StalkedByASpider · 19/02/2023 19:48

This reply has been deleted

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

While I do agree the middle class, white female angle has some merit, I think it's also to do with recent focus on women's safety.

There's been a number of high profile cases such as Sarah Everard and it's prompted a lot of discussions about women's safety in general, and the risks that we all face daily which simply aren't present for men.

So then I think when you consider the fact that a woman seemingly vanished in daylight while out walking her dog, after dropping her two children at school and you have all the ingredients to grab the headlines. If everyone had been told from the start that NB was vulnerable and high risk, I seriously doubt it would have been so high profile.

Jellylover · 19/02/2023 19:55

such a knob! He said “she wasn’t in the river, not that she wasn’t in the reeds”. Should be forced to apologise. Hope his book is shredded.

XanaduKira · 19/02/2023 19:58

I agree @StalkedByASpider.

RobinGood · 19/02/2023 20:00

The attention seemed to go to his head. I hope people are more cautious about taking up his “expertise” in future.

RecoIIectionsMayVary · 19/02/2023 20:05

when you consider the fact that a woman seemingly vanished in daylight while out walking her dog, after dropping her two children at school and you have all the ingredients to grab the headlines. If everyone had been told from the start that NB was vulnerable and high risk, I seriously doubt it would have been so high profile.

I agree, disappeared in 10 minutes and left phone on call and a dog. Police and family said no medical or lifestyle reason. Then unclear communication from the police added to a family and friend narrative that didn't fit with the police response. It isn't surprising this became news.

hoardod · 19/02/2023 20:11

I think he was wrong to talk but people also wanted to believe his narrative.

Rodneyisaplonker · 19/02/2023 20:13

I suspect he’s going to say if he’d known about the vulnerabilities his search would have been different. Which would stand but if this Nicola, then it’s less than a mile. Which means they should have found her..

KokoB · 19/02/2023 20:14

Do we know where exactly he searched? Was there a map posted online anywhere?

GCAcademic · 19/02/2023 20:17

As a brown woman, I have to say that accusing a white woman, who is dead and was clearly struggling while alive, of having “privilege” is pretty disgusting.

ThreeRingCircus · 19/02/2023 20:22

But Nikki's husband also expressed he felt she wasn't in the river.

I can understand her family not being able to face the thought of her being in the river because that would have meant accepting she was never coming home.

This is a supposed expert that thrust himself into the spotlight through his own arrogance and would not stop talking to the media and criticising the police. He is partly responsible for this circus and I hope other police forces think twice about using his company in the future given his big mouth is such a liability.

I agree with a PP that for people local to the Fylde coast and who know that river well, we were all certain she was in there and would be very hard to find if that was indeed the case.

I just hope her poor family can get some answers and can grieve in peace.

SweetSakura · 19/02/2023 20:26

ThreeRingCircus · 19/02/2023 20:22

But Nikki's husband also expressed he felt she wasn't in the river.

I can understand her family not being able to face the thought of her being in the river because that would have meant accepting she was never coming home.

This is a supposed expert that thrust himself into the spotlight through his own arrogance and would not stop talking to the media and criticising the police. He is partly responsible for this circus and I hope other police forces think twice about using his company in the future given his big mouth is such a liability.

I agree with a PP that for people local to the Fylde coast and who know that river well, we were all certain she was in there and would be very hard to find if that was indeed the case.

I just hope her poor family can get some answers and can grieve in peace.

Totally agree.
Entirely different for family to cling to hope, than for an 'expert' to boast about the efficacy of his search and the conclusiveness of not having found her there and thereby stir up huge levels of speculation

YesYou · 19/02/2023 20:26

"I agree with a PP that for people local to the Fylde coast and who know that river well, we were all certain she was in there"

@ThreeRingCircus as a local I completely disagree. We thought she was in there initially but not by 2 weeks later despite having immense knowledge of the river and the tides. This goes for lots of my friends, neighbours and other acquaintances.

The doubts were really reinforced by this "expert".

SweetSakura · 19/02/2023 20:27

ThreeRingCircus · 19/02/2023 20:22

But Nikki's husband also expressed he felt she wasn't in the river.

I can understand her family not being able to face the thought of her being in the river because that would have meant accepting she was never coming home.

This is a supposed expert that thrust himself into the spotlight through his own arrogance and would not stop talking to the media and criticising the police. He is partly responsible for this circus and I hope other police forces think twice about using his company in the future given his big mouth is such a liability.

I agree with a PP that for people local to the Fylde coast and who know that river well, we were all certain she was in there and would be very hard to find if that was indeed the case.

I just hope her poor family can get some answers and can grieve in peace.

Totally agree.
Entirely different for family to cling to hope, than for an 'expert' to boast about the efficacy of his search and the conclusiveness of not having found her there and thereby stir up huge levels of speculation

BoreOfWhabylon · 19/02/2023 20:27

Shameless self-publicist. And clearly not as good as he thinks he is.

AnotherAppleThief · 19/02/2023 20:30

The worst was when I heard him say he'd even asked PA whether Nicola had any enemies or some such. Who does he think he is? Meddling isn't a serious missing person enquiry that he knows zilch about.

Reminds me of bloody Silent Witness where Jack and Nikki race around like detcetives instead of sticking to their job.

SilverGlitterBaubles · 19/02/2023 20:31

I feel bad for the police involved, they were criticised non stop by armchair detectives, media, public, politicians, ex police. None of these people had the full facts about the investigation yet seemed to have all the answers. Even what a female superintendent choice of workwear was criticised. I understand the bad feelings about the police but this was whole other level.

MattDillonsEyebrows · 19/02/2023 20:34

StalkedByASpider · 19/02/2023 19:48

While I do agree the middle class, white female angle has some merit, I think it's also to do with recent focus on women's safety.

There's been a number of high profile cases such as Sarah Everard and it's prompted a lot of discussions about women's safety in general, and the risks that we all face daily which simply aren't present for men.

So then I think when you consider the fact that a woman seemingly vanished in daylight while out walking her dog, after dropping her two children at school and you have all the ingredients to grab the headlines. If everyone had been told from the start that NB was vulnerable and high risk, I seriously doubt it would have been so high profile.

Show quote history

There is definitely a theory that white, attractive, middle class females who go missing are more likely to have media attention.

However I also think both Nicola Bulley and Sarah Everard had friends that work in media who raised the alarm and knew the right places to channel the attention. I think often it can be a case of who you know rather than who you are.

itsgettingweird · 19/02/2023 20:35

The media have been guilty of giving people too much airtime for click bate and viewing figures before.

As recently as the last year they took advantage of a grieving family and a circumstance became a media circus.

I don't want to quell freedom of speech but I seriously think the whole way our media operates needs investigating and some boundaries put in place.

And that also goes for media outlets being donors to political parties etc.

There HAS to be a better version of free speech that doesn't involve exploitation.