Readers comment: Is Belinda MI5, or just a criminal?

It seems everyone has an opinion on what makes Hoaxtead “mastermind” Belinda McKenzie tick. Here’s a sampling: Most, though, seem to lean toward the “sociopath/narcissist/fraud artist” opinion:

That’s an interesting insight about Belinda’s wealthy family members being engaged in legitimate philanthropic work. It does raise questions about her motivation, doesn’t it?

We’ve also heard privately from people who’ve had face-to-face dealings with Belinda—particularly during her Hollie Greig hoax days—and they describe a woman who is willing to stand in front of a crowd with a megaphone, but who looks “confused” when challenged, and scurries away like a mouse when asked pointed questions.

“She did not argue back or show any passion for her cause,” one person wrote. “It’s as if me highlighting the effect these lies had on innocent people had NEVER occurred to her.” When pressed, Belinda “just whimpered and was left speechless”.

Another source wrote, “I’m not familiar with mental illness in any way (until now!) but after meeting Belinda I was left thinking that she was delusional. Narcissistic, in portraying herself as some kind of saviour, but also so taken in by her own importance that she has never stopped to think what she is doing. It was as if she’d never considered the consequences of her actions, like a child.”

Hardly the criminal mastermind, but just a common-or-garden hoaxter, with an overblown sense of her own importance, then.

When danger reared its ugly head, she bravely turned her tail and fled….