The widow of a man who employed 'The Salt Path' author Raynor Winn has claimed the writer stole around £64,000 from their family business, destroying her late husband's trust in others. Ros Hemmings and her daughter Debbie spoke out after an investigation suggested Winn's bestselling memoir was misleading.
Winn, whose real name is Sally Walker, worked as a bookkeeper for the Hemmings' property business in the early 2000s. Ros Hemmings recommended her for the role after Winn's husband mentioned she had lost her job at a hotel. However, within a year, the Hemmings noticed their business was no longer making money.
Debbie Adams, then 29, recalled a distressed call from her father, Martin Hemmings, who said: 'I just don't know what's gone wrong, I'm working every hour God gives me and there's no money.' A bank manager revealed between £6,000 and £9,000 was missing, and police were informed. Winn visited the Hemmings with a cheque for £9,000, claiming it was all she had.
Police advised the family to accept the money and check accounts for further losses. Ros Hemmings said: 'It was a very upsetting thing to do and it took us weeks and weeks, but we found she had taken about £64,000.' Weeks later, a solicitor's letter offered to repay the money plus legal fees, totalling around £90,000, in exchange for not pressing criminal charges. Martin Hemmings signed the agreement to avoid a trial.
Martin Hemmings, an estate agent and property surveyor, died in 2012. Ros Hemmings told the BBC: 'I can't forgive her for destroying my husband's confidence in people, because it did.' The Observer earlier reported that Winn and her husband lost their home after failing to repay money they were accused of stealing from Martin Hemmings.
Winn rose to fame in 2018 with 'The Salt Path', which recounts walking the South West Coast Path after losing their home. The book was adapted into a film starring Gillian Anderson and Jason Isaacs. Winn has not commented on the latest allegations.
