Peter Murrell 7pm today BBC2

Just been watching it, very interesting.Nobody still knows why he did it tho.

Oreo

Just been watching it, very interesting.Nobody still knows why he did it tho.

I wonder if even he does? You can imagine certain spending patterns that would have made sense but the his doesn’t seem to. I wonder if sometimes there just isn’t an easy answer as to why

I think it’s some type of illness spending like that.
My friend, unhappy in her marriage spends money like water (not other people’s money), then the stuff she’s bought all sits around in carrier bags.

Obvs I don’t know but suspect he started putting the odd thing on the SNP card and it became a habit after a while as there was no comeback over it.

I said to DH when we were watching it on the News, it seems like a reverse kleptomania type of thing, as it was said much of the stuff was unused.

Why buy 17 expensive fountain pens, 5 coffee machines, ……?

And then not use them?

Still wonder how Nicola didn’t notice the camper van etc. (I know it was at the MIL’s, and she assumed it belonged to the neighbour).

🤷‍♀️

I think it’s a mental health problem no one buys umpteen umbrellas, fountain pens and coffee machines unless they have some kind of unseen psychiatric problem
I can personally imagine NS had far more things on her mind than seeing a ‘neighbours’ campervan on her in laws driveway if that’s what she’s been told or led to believe I would imagine the couple led fairly separate lives with not a lot of interest in each other.

Is he a diagnosed 'Shopaholic'? Certainly a lot of the items on the published list of purchases are ridiculously extravagant or just plain bizarre.

And it's been noted that a large percentage of the goods have never been used and are still packaged up.

What was he thinking?

MT62

I think it’s some type of illness spending like that.
My friend, unhappy in her marriage spends money like water (not other people’s money), then the stuff she’s bought all sits around in carrier bags.

Maybe it's an uncontrollable adrenaline rush that just completely swamps any ability to be rational?

I worked with people with brain injury, either traumatic or due to degenerative or other illnesses. This sort of loss of impulse control is a known problem. Uncontrolled illogical spending can be a feature.

This man shows evidence of this ... I have always thought he had a medical problem. I hope someone does some neuropsychological tests.

There are also people who are fundamentally dishonest, who cold bloodedly fiddle their expenses, defraud the public, abscond with charitable donations or the firm’s takings.
Too easy to claim “MH issues”

Fundamentally dishonest people commit crimes logically for personal gain. This man gained nothing but piles of useless stuff. There is no logic in that.

His wife said he showed no signs of mental illness, although she's proved to have no great observancy skills. If I'd donated a pair of shoes (£290 new) to a charity auction and my husband bought them back for £40000 I'd maybe be wondering if he was quite well.

The fact he was given his wife items bought with embezzled monies from the party she led kind of says what he thought of her. It seems his wife's parents, sister (and possibly the now estranged wife) are standing by him (which may be commendable - I'm not sure).

*£4000 oops

but piles of useless stuff. There is no logic in that

They used some of the stuff, I can’t agree it excuses him on MH grounds.
He was like a kid nicking sweets in a sweetie shop.

Why did he do it? Because he could so he did is the simple answer. Between them the party was theirs. No dissent and enquiring minds were apparently warned off.

However, I also think he might have some sort of compulsive disorder to keep buying things in the way he did. Also, some medication can make you do things out of character. But no mitigating circumstances like these were offered up for consideration at trial.

PM did not offer any MH explanations for his behaviour. He mentioned pressure of work I believe and said he found himself unable to stop but that was all and the judge said he found no mitigating factors. I think it’s reasonable to have the opinion that his pattern of spending over the years was inconsistent and irrational - it wasn’t as though he was transferring the money to an off- shore account- and that there may well be an underlying psychological problem. But he has just faced the situation once it was discovered, cooperated with the police and pled guilty at the earliest opportunity. Seeing him on TV yesterday he looked a sad and lonely figure. Yes getting what he deserved but that’s plenty. If I were to get very judgemental about any fraudsters, it would be those truly evil people who put the lives of many workers( and others) in jeopardy by selling inadequate PPE to the government at outrageous prices. Most if not all of them have completely got away with it.

Apparently there were no mitigating factors put forward.
But I know only too well how the very subtle changes caused by frontal lobe damage/degeneration can be missed... they are not well known and might not even be looked for or thought of.
For me he presents as typical of so many patients I saw, whose problems were overlooked and who were disparaged until proper testing brought these to light.
Obviously I cannot say whether he is so afflicted, but it really jumps out at me how similar it all is to many patients we worked with.

If I were to get very judgemental about any fraudsters, it would be those truly evil people who put the lives of many workers( and others) in jeopardy by selling inadequate PPE to the government at outrageous prices. Most if not all of them have completely got away with it. ....... can't disagree with that!

Luckygirl3

Fundamentally dishonest people commit crimes logically for personal gain. This man gained nothing but piles of useless stuff. There is no logic in that.

Nothing he bought was useless.
Expensive pens he could use himself or give as gifts and the same for coffee machines and other goods he liked.
If there really were a lot of unopened packages why wouldn’t NS have noticed them?
I don’t think it’s been said that there were any MH problems or any physical ones, he just got used to using the credit card as his own.

MawsRosie

^but piles of useless stuff. There is no logic in that^

They used some of the stuff, I can’t agree it excuses him on MH grounds.
He was like a kid nicking sweets in a sweetie shop.

A more succinct version of what I said and yes, there may have been the thrill factor as well.

Much of what he purchased he gifted. His "shopping" increased prior to Christmases. Maybe currying favour?

Why did he do it?
Because he could…..😬

Of course he looked sad and lonely. He knew he was going to jail…🤔

Buying expensive gifts for other people is something that people who are sad and lonely often do too, thinking that they will be better liked as a result. I don’t think our prison service is geared up to help people with compulsive spending related dishonesty, so he looks destined for a sad and lonely life when he is released too.