The Salt Path author breaks her silence on embezzlement allegations in big new statement

The Salt Path author Raynor Winn has released a new and lengthy statement addressing the allegations made in the highly discussed article from the Observer, which accused Winn of not being wholly truthful in her true story book and accused her of embezzlement as well as making up her husband Moth’s illness. Raynor Winn and Moth – real names Sally and Tim Walker – had previously remained silent and only released a small statement via their legal team. Now though, The Salt Path author has addressed the allegations of embezzlement in a very lengthy statement on her own website.

‘I can now speak up’

Raynor Winn wrote a lengthy statement in response to the instantly viral Observer article, which accused her of embezzlement via a former employer and criticised The Salt Path alleging the ‘true story’, life affirming memoir of not being the whole truth. Raynor Winn writes “Over the past few days, I have had vitriol poured on me from all quarters, along with threats directed at me, my family, and our children. It has been incredibly hard to remain silent, something I’ve had to do while waiting to receive legal advice. That legal advice is ongoing, but I can now speak up.

“The Observer article, written by Chloe Hadjimatheou, is grotesquely unfair, highly misleading and seeks to systematically pick apart my life. But, as our walk along the Salt Path taught us, when life has ground you into the dirt, you need to stand up, turn your face to the wind, and continue, unafraid. So that is what I must do.

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“The Salt Path is about what happened to Moth and me, after we lost our home and found ourselves homeless on the headlands of the south west. 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. The journey held within those pages is one of salt and weather, of pain and possibility. And I can’t allow any more doubt to be cast on the validity of those memories, or the joy they have given so many.”

Raynor Winn denies lying about Moth’s health

A big part of The Salt Path is regarding Winn’s husband and his terminal illness, and the Observer article questioned the legitimacy of that illness. Winn states strongly that this upset her and Moth a lot – and shows letters in her statement from the doctor confirming the diagnosis.

Moth and Raynor Winn

Raynor Winn explains “With Moth’s permission, and on the advice of his neurologist, I am releasing excerpts from two clinic letters, showing he is treated for CBD/S and has been for many years. This is deeply personal information that no-one should ever be forced to share. The redacted sections are for the personal privacy of Moth and the doctors involved.

Among the Observer’s many accusations, the most heart breaking is the suggestion that Moth has made up his illness. This utterly vile, unfair, and false suggestion has emotionally devasted Moth, who has fought so hard against the insidious condition of Corticobasal Syndrome.”

Raynor Winn addressed the embezzlement allegations

The Salt Path author says in her statement addressing the allegations: “The dispute with Martin Hemmings, referred to in the Observer by his wife, is not the court case in The Salt Path. Nor did it result in us losing our home. Mr Hemmings is not Cooper. Mrs Hemmings is not in the book, nor is she a relative of someone who is.

“I worked for Martin Hemmings in the years before the economic crash of 2008. For me it was a pressured time. It was also a time when mistakes were being made in the business. Any mistakes I made during the years in that office, I deeply regret, and I am truly sorry.

“Mr Hemmings made an allegation against me to the police, accusing me of taking money from the company. I was questioned, I was not charged, nor did I face criminal sanctions. I reached a settlement with Martin Hemmings because I did not have the evidence required to support what happened. The terms of the settlement were willingly agreed by both parties; Mr Hemmings was as keen to reach a private resolution as I was. A part of that settlement was that I would pay money to Mr Hemmings on a ‘non-admissions basis’. This is why we needed the money back from Cooper that we invested.”

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