A Deeply Personal Conflict
The family of Martin Hemmings, who once employed Raynor Winn, have spoken out about their experience with the author of The Salt Path, expressing that trusting her was their “greatest mistake.” This revelation comes as Winn faces scrutiny following an investigation by the Observer that uncovered inconsistencies in her bestselling memoir. The book chronicles her and her husband Moth’s journey on a 630-mile trek along England’s southern coast after being left homeless and financially ruined due to a bad investment.
According to the report, the couple actually lost their property because Winn had allegedly defrauded her employer of £64,000. She attempted to repay this amount by taking out a loan from a relative. In response, Winn has called the claims “highly misleading” and “grotesquely unfair,” stating in a statement posted on her website that the loss of their home was unrelated to any mistakes she made during her time at Hemmings’ estate agents in Wales.
Ros Hemmings, Martin’s wife, shared her perspective with BBC Wales, emphasizing that the biggest mistake was ever employing Winn. “The mistake was that we ever employed her, and the biggest mistake my husband made, because obviously I’d recommended her in a way, was that he trusted her,” she said. Ros added that she could not forgive Winn for damaging her husband’s confidence in people, which led to a reluctance to discuss the issue openly.
A Recommendation Gone Wrong
Ros first recommended Winn for a job at her husband’s company after meeting her husband Moth while working at a National Trust site together in the 1990s. She recalled that Moth told her that Winn had lost her job as a hotel bookkeeper in 2001, which coincided with Martin’s bookkeeper retiring. “I suggested her to my husband,” Ros said. “She came for an interview, and she was the one. She seemed very efficient, we liked her.”
However, the business soon faced financial difficulties. “Within a year or so we weren’t making any money,” she said, assuming the shortfall was due to her husband’s poor billing practices. Their daughter, Debbie Adams, now 46, described the moment her father told her about the financial trouble. “He said: ‘I just don’t know what’s gone wrong. I’m working every hour God gives me and there’s no money,’” Debbie recalled.
Five days later, her father called again with shocking news. “She [Raynor] has been nicking money,” he said. Debbie was initially skeptical but eventually believed him when he confirmed that money was missing. A meeting with their bank manager revealed a shortfall of £6,000 to £9,000, prompting Martin to contact the police and a solicitor.
A Financial Scandal Unveiled
Ros remembered Winn crying as she brought a cheque for £9,000, claiming she had to sell some of her mother’s things to cover the amount. Martin was advised to take the money by the police, who also suggested reviewing their accounts for any additional missing funds. “It was a very upsetting thing to do and it took us weeks and weeks, but we found she had taken about £64,000.”
Ros said they were offered £90,000 by a solicitor to cover the lost funds and legal fees on the condition that they would not pursue criminal charges. “He [Martin] was keen to do it in a way, we had no money and had nearly been basically bankrupt,” she said. “She also had young children, and to have a mother in prison or facing a criminal charge, he didn’t want that to happen.”
Ros admitted she has never read the memoir, saying, “I’d have stamped on the book I think. Just to gloss over why they ran out of money to me was shocking.” Debbie echoed her sentiment, adding, “I don’t wish ill of them. I just wish that they would tell the truth, and the truth needs to be told.”
Legal and Public Reactions
Although the Hemmings family has no paperwork to back up their claims, the Observer reported that their allegations have been corroborated by their solicitor, Michael Strain, in the original investigation. Winn responded to the controversy in a statement earlier this month, expressing regret for any mistakes she made during her time at the office. She added that the issue was settled on a “non-admissions basis” by all parties involved, as she did not have the evidence required to support what happened.
In her statement, Winn clarified that The Salt Path is about her and Moth’s journey after losing their home and becoming homeless. “It’s not about every event or moment in our lives, but rather about a capsule of time when our lives moved from a place of complete despair to a place of hope.”
North Wales Police have declined to comment on the matter, and representatives for Winn referred inquiries back to her original statement. Despite the controversy, The Salt Path has sold over two million copies and was adapted into a film starring Gillian Anderson and Jason Isaacs.
