Thread 22 : To feel disappointed - and now disgusted too - after reading this in The Observer about the author and her husband from The Salt Path book and film?

[DisappointedReader]

NO POSTS PLEASE UNTIL THREAD 21 IS FULL

The Observer's original exposé: The real Salt Path: how a blockbuster book and film were ...

First thread: To feel disappointed after reading this in The Observer about the author and her husband from The Salt Path book and film? | Mumsnet

Links to threads 2-16, the other 20 Observer articles and videos to date, Raynor Winn/Sally Walker's statement, our timeline and sources can all be accessed in the OP and first few posts of Thread 17: https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5403285-thread-17-to-feel-disappointed-after-reading-this-in-the-observer-about-the-author-and-her-husband-from-the-salt-path-book-and-film?

Links to threads 18-20 can be found in the OP of Thread 21: https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5460943-thread-21-to-feel-disappointed-and-now-disgusted-too-after-reading-this-in-the-observer-about-the-author-and-her-husband-from-the-salt-path-book-and-film?

Most recent:

• Salt Path: A Very British Scandal, available from Monday 15th December Sky Documentaries and NOW TV
• ‘Don’t look for the money. I’ve taken it all’: Salt Path author Raynor Winn’s ‘confession’ that she stole from her family | The Observer

New posters joining us in the genuine spirit of our civil discourse are welcome. It would be helpful to get the background from at least some of the Observer exposé items before posting.
To all - Please be extremely cautious when it comes to naming or implicating people and addresses not in the public eye or with no direct connection to the story, and around the understandable health speculations, especially where details are unclear or still emerging. Remember, even Hollywood rabbits attract the odd flea. Please do not engage with drive-by scolders and ploppers who seem to have their own agenda and seek to derail. Avoid @'ing and quoting them as - from experience - this will only encourage them back to the threads. Over 6 months we have done amazingly well together for 21 very interesting, very serious and very silly threads so far. I can't be here as much as I'd like so all help with keeping our discussion walking along in our usual reasonable and respectful fashion is very welcome.

After 21,000 posts there are still new things to look out for on the path ahead:

• Observer Newsroom: The Real Salt Path Story, Thursday 8th January 2026 6.30-7.30pm. More information and to book via this link observer.co.uk/our-events/the-real-salt-path-story
• Podcast series from The Observer's award-winning Investigative Journalist Chloe Hadjimatheou, 13th January 2026
• BBC Podcast (NB Not involving Our Chloe)

Keep to the path, no saltiness, eat fudge and drink cider.

NO POSTS PLEASE UNTIL THREAD 21 IS FULL

Just catching up, I found this attitude towards their children strange as well, also Salray says something about, the children turning out to be good people, and that she and Tim had done a good job. I'm always suspicious of parents who praise themselves for their parenting abilities.

Good luck too from me for the event, I will have a look later today to see what you have gleaned

I'm intrigued: will people at the imminent event be introducing themselves, saying things like "Hello, my name's Fondles-Waistcoat, Vroom Fondles-Waistcoat"?

The debt has been paid though, as reported by CH.

I have a vague recollection of a previous poster saying that where it is a judgment debt and the debtor dlsappears, that the time limit is extended. If that's correct, it would seem to fit with the report that the debt has now been paid.

Well I'm here and right near the front, wearing my badge.
My brain is super fuzzy currently so hopefully some others can give a better account of the goings on! If there's a chance for questions I'll see if I can be brave enough...
Happy to introduce myself....

I like that! Makes me sound like James Bond.

Unfortunately I won't be at the event (although I am on the edge of my seat waiting to hear all about it), but I might just start introducing myself like this to everyone!

Good point! And contradictory because at the start of TSP she justified not getting a job because she had to spend every last moment with Moth before he conked it. Yet by the end she is willing to let him go off to study ... oh but of course, i forget, the healing power of the path🙄

Black Magic Woman playing on the Observer Zoomcall. Is it a sign?

Ooooh I'm here online... so exciting! I will try to add some updates here as we go...

About 200 online at the moment

Which of you brave souls have your webcams on 😅

Also joined online and someone else on the zoom is called Sally!

That's good, particularly given the online sign-up problems.

450 now

In ref to the names. Moth is like 'Madonna' or 'Prince' as far as I can tell. Priceless 🤣🤣

I like that they introduced her as "Our CHloe".
Other facts:
The Observer are not being threatened with legal action.
People at the Estate Agents didn't come forward sooner because there was confusion as to whether the NDA that Martin Hemmings signed applied wider than just him.

I thought that "our Chloe" was a nod to these threads.

The Walkers lived in SW's mother's house, which was empty after her death, for six months during 2015, and the neighbours said they were lovely people.

Aha! The group got name checked!

Yes - and weve just been namechecked! Hooray!

Yay, nod to us!

This is a bit frustrating -- no one in the room is asking the big questions, about the discrepancy in dates between the medical letters in her first statement, for instance. I mean, I don't much care what people along the SWCP think of her.

The Hemmingways (was that her employer's name?) thought they were lovely until they discovered she'd stolen £64k...

Our Chloe has just done a shout out to the 'amateur sleuths of Mumsnet'.

We've done good work! Nice to be acknowledged!**

I don't think we've been at all unscrupulous -- no one has poked around in her children's lives, for instance. And I don't think anyone has contacted the Walkers...?