Nicola Bulley: New investigation launched as fury at 'car crash' police investigation mounts

A investigation into the conduct of Lancashire police in the case of Nicola Bulley has been launched as police face backlash for releasing personal information about the missing mum-of-two.

The constabulary referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct over the contact officers had with Nicola prior to the 45-year-old vanishing.

The force previously responded to a report of concern for welfare at Nicola’s home on January 10.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said in a statement last night: "We received a referral from Lancashire Constabulary regarding contact the force had with Nicola Bulley on 10 January, prior to her disappearance.

Lancashire police have referred themselves to the Independent Office for Police Conduct
Peter Byrne

“We are assessing the available information to determine whether an investigation into that contact may be required and if so, who should conduct that investigation.”

Officers have been criticised for releasing personal information about Nicola’s struggles with the menopause and alcohol before she disappeared while walking her dog near the River Wyre on January 27.

But police say they released the information to reduce speculation about the mum’s disappearance, which had begun severely interfering with the investigation.

There has been no trace of Nicola since her disappearance despite extensive searches on the path and in the nearby river, which police believe she may have fallen into.

Martyn Underhill, a former police officer and police and crime commissioner for Dorset, said Lancashire constabulary’s handling of the communications had been a “car crash”.

He said: “They’ve either not talked to anybody and left the space there to be filled by TikTok detectives and armchair detectives, and then moaned about the demand that’s placed on them, or they’ve done a press conference and thrown a grenade in there that no one saw coming.

“So I really do question the media strategy of Lancashire police, which has not helped at all in dealing with this juggernaut story.”

Other critics of the investigation include MPs and campaigners who said the release of personal information about a missing person was “deeply troubling”.

Officers released information about Nicola’s struggles with the menopause and alcohol
Peter Powell

Since she vanished, huge public and media interest has resulted in what police described as “false information, accusations and rumours” and “unprecedented” speculation.

Graham Wettone, author of How to Be a Police Officer, who spent 30 years in the police, said officers were still learning how to manage social media and 24/7 news culture.

He said the vacuum created by not releasing information about the missing mum at the start of the case had left the police “playing catch up”.

“I don’t think they’ve managed the media comms terribly well,” he added.