Nicola Bulley latest: Report on police handling of mother’s disappearance and death will be published
Nicola Bulley died as a result of drowning, the inquest heard
An independent report into the police’s handling of the Nicola Bulley case is due to be published this morning.
Ms Bulley drowned after accidentally falling into cold water, an inquest heard in June. The 45-year-old went missing after dropping her daughters, six and nine, at school on January 27 and going for their usual dog walk along the River Wyre in St Michael’s, Lancashire.
The search for Ms. Bulley and the police investigation received national coverage and unprecedented interest on social media. Police have faced intense criticism, including a public backlash over the disclosure of Ms Bulley’s personal details, such as claiming she had “alcohol problems” and was menopausal.
The review, carried out by the College of Policing, aims to assess the effectiveness of Lancashire Constabulary’s response during the period the mother went missing earlier this year, focusing on investigations and searches, communications and public engagement as well the disclosure of personal data.
Announcing the launch, Lancashire Police and Crime Commissioner Andrew Snowden said he was “sure there are lessons to be learned for Lancashire Police” as well as other forces and the wider policing sector.
Who was Nicola Bulley?
Nicola Bulley was a 45-year-old mortgage consultant and mother of two who lived in St Michael’s on Wyre in Lancashire.
Paul Ansell, Ms Bulley’s partner, said she was “funny”, “loving”, “the most loyal friend you could ever have” and an “extraordinary mother”.
Nadia Fell, 39, a friend of the late mother, said Ms Bulley was “the greatest mother ever”, adding: “Anything that needed to be done for school – PTA stuff – she was always there.”
In the final stages of the search, police controversially revealed that Ms Bulley had been struggling with alcohol use and perimenopausal symptoms before her disappearance.
Nicola Bulley disappeared in January
(Lancashire Police)
Sam RkainaNovember 21, 2023 09:30
Report on the police handling of the Nicola Bulley case is published
An independent report into the police’s handling of the Nicola Bulley case is due to be published this morning.
The review, carried out by the College of Policing, aims to assess the effectiveness of Lancashire Constabulary’s response during the period the mother went missing earlier this year, focusing on investigations and searches, communications and public engagement as well the disclosure of personal data.
Announcing the launch, Andrew Snowden, Police and Crime Commissioner for Lancashire, said at the time: “The public understandably feels that questions remain about the handling of elements of police investigations, the nature of communications and the decision to disclose personal data. “must be answered and explained.”
He added that he was “sure there are lessons to be learned for Lancashire Constabulary” and the wider police sector.
Tara CobhamNovember 21, 2023 09:24
