Police force in Nicola Bulley probe was criticised by watchdogs which found it ‘requires improvement to investigate crimes’ – three months before the mother-of-two vanished
- Lancashire Constabulary are facing three external enquiries over the search
- A watchdog the force did not always carry out crimes ‘timely’ and ‘thoroughly’
- READ MORE: Divers who failed to find Nicola Bulley removed from expert list
The police force being probed over the handling of Nicola Bulley’s disappearance was criticised by watchdogs just three months before she vanished.
Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) found Lancashire Constabulary required ‘improvement at investigating crime.’
The watchdog also found the force wasn’t always carrying out investigations ‘timely’ and ‘thoroughly’ and that victims ‘weren’t always updated on progress’, according to The Sun.
Lancashire Constabulary faces three external enquiries over the hunt for the 45-year-old mum-of-two in St Michael’s on Wyre.
The search lasted 23 days before her body was found by dog walkers last Sunday in the River Wyre, a mile away from where she is thought to have fallen in.
The bungling police force being probed over the handling of Nicola Bulley’s disappearance was slammed by watchdogs just three months before she vanished
Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) found Lancashire Constabulary required ‘improvement at investigating crime’ (Pictured: assistant chief constable Peter Lawson and detective superintendent Rebecca Smith of Lancashire Police)
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is looking into a welfare visit made to Ms Bulley’s family home two weeks before she disappeared.
The search for Ms Bulley and the decision to release information about the mother’s alcohol and menopause struggles are also being probed by the College of Policing.
HMIC inspections take place annually, with the body finding Lancashire Police showed ‘a lack of effective supervision’.
The force failed to rank ‘outstanding’ in any of the eight areas it was marked in.
Lancashire Police told MailOnline: ‘We acknowledge the findings of the HMICFRS report in which we are graded as ‘good’ in six areas, and where any areas for improvement were identified work is already underway to address these.’
Ms Bulley vanished after dropping off her daughters, aged six and nine, at school on January 27 in St Michael’s on Wyre, Lancashire.
She was last seen at 9.10am taking her usual route with her springer spaniel Willow, alongside the River Wyre, shortly after dropping her girls, aged nine and six, off at school.
The watchdog also found Lancashire Constabulary wasn’t always carrying out investigations ‘timely’ and ‘thoroughly’ and that victims ‘weren’t always updated on progress’ (Pictured: Lancashire Police superintendent Sally Riley)
Lancashire Constabulary faces three external enquiries over the hunt for the 45-year-old mum-of-two in St Michael’s on Wyre (Pictured: detective superintendent Pauline Stables and assistant chief constable Peter Lawson)
Her phone, still connected to a work call, was found just over 20 minutes later on a bench overlooking the riverbank, with her dog running loose.
A massive police presence descended on the village three weeks ago with dozens of officers, divers, search experts and high-tech equipment including drones.
Specialist searchers including Peter Faulding, who scoured the river using sonar equipment, also spent days in the area.
The force was widely criticised for disclosing Ms Bulley’s struggles with alcohol and the perimenopause two weeks into the search.
Lancashire Constabulary has also yet to address why it took 23 days for Ms Bulley’s body to be found, as well as its handling of social media sleuths who filmed themselves in back gardens searching for the 45-year-old mortgage adviser.
Timeline: Disappearance of Nicola Bulley
January 27
At 8.26am Ms Bulley left her home with her two daughters, aged six and nine, dropping them off at school.
She then took her spaniel, Willow, for a walk along the path by the River Wyre at 8.43am, heading towards a gate and bench in the lower field.
She was seen by a dog walker who knew her at around 8.50am, and their pets interacted briefly before they parted ways, according to the force.
At 8.53am, Ms Bulley sent an email to her boss, followed by a message to her friends six minutes later, before logging on to a Microsoft Teams call at 9.01am.
She was seen by a second witness at 9.10am, the last known sighting.
Her phone was back in the area of the bench at 9.20am before the Teams call ended 10 minutes later, with her mobile remaining logged on after the call.
At 10.50am, Ms Bulley’s family and the school attended by her children were told about her disappearance.
Lancashire Constabulary launched an investigation into Ms Bulley’s whereabouts on the same day and appealed for witnesses to contact them.
January 28
Lancashire Constabulary deployed drones, helicopters and police search dogs as part of the major missing person operation.
They were assisted by Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service, as well as Bowland Pennine mountain rescue team and the North West underwater search team.
January 29
Local residents held a meeting at the village hall to organise a search for Ms Bulley at 10.30am on Sunday, according to reports from The Mirror, and around 100 people joined in.
Police urged volunteers to exercise caution, describing the river and its banks as ‘extremely dangerous’ and saying that activity in these areas presented ‘a genuine risk to the public’
January 30
Superintendent Sally Riley from Lancashire Constabulary said police were ‘keeping a really open mind about what could have happened’, and that they were not treating Ms Bulley’s disappearance as suspicious.
January 31 Lancashire Constabulary spoke with a potential witness, a man who had been walking a small white fluffy dog near the River Wyre at the time of Ms Bulley’s disappearance.
Her family released a statement saying they had been ‘overwhelmed by the support’ in their community, and that her daughters were ‘desperate to have their mummy back home safe’.
February 2
Lancashire Constabulary spoke with a second witness who they had identified with the help of the public using CCTV but they told police they did not have any further information to aid their inquiry.
Officers from the North West Police Underwater and Marine support unit searched the area close to where Ms Bulley’s mobile phone was found, while police divers scoured the River Wyre. Meanwhile, Ms Bulley’s family appealed to the public for help tracing her.
February 3
Lancashire Police said it was working on the hypothesis that Ms Bulley may have fallen into the River Wyre.
Ms Riley urged against speculation, but said it was ‘possible’ that an ‘issue’ with Ms Bulley’s dog may have led her to the water’s edge.
February 4
Lancashire Police announced it wanted to trace a ‘key witness’ who was seen pushing a pram in the area near where Ms Bulley went missing on the morning of her disappearance.
February 5
The woman described as a ‘key witness’ by police came forward. The force insisted she was ‘very much being treated as a witness’ as it warned against ‘totally unacceptable’ speculation and abuse on social media.
Peter Faulding, leader of underwater search experts Specialist Group International (SGI), began searching the river after being called in by Ms Bulley’s family.
February 6
Ms Bulley’s friends said they hoped the help of a specialist underwater rescue team would give the family answers.
Meanwhile, Ms Bulley’s partner Mr Ansell, in a statement released through Lancashire Police, said: ‘It’s been 10 days now since Nicola went missing and I have two little girls who miss their mummy desperately and who need her back.
‘This has been such a tough time for the girls especially but also for me and all of Nicola’s family and friends, as well as the wider community and I want to thank them for their love and support.’
February 10
Police urged people to refrain from indulging in commentary and conspiracy theories about Ms Bulley’s disappearance as speculation increases online.
February 15
Police held a press conference over the case and say the mother-of-two was classed as a ‘high-risk’ missing person immediately after she was reported missing due to ‘vulnerabilities.’
They later disclosed Ms Bulley’s struggles with alcohol and perimenopause.
February 16
In a statement released through Lancashire Police, Ms Bulley’s family said the focus had become ‘distracted from finding Nikki, and more about speculation and rumours into her private life’ and called for it to end.
Lancashire Police referred itself to the police watchdog over contact the force had with Ms Bulley prior to her disappearance.
Home Secretary Suella Braverman demanded an ‘explanation’ for the disclosure of Ms Bulley’s private information by the force.
February 17
Lancashire Police announced it was conducting an internal review into the handling of Ms Bulley’s disappearance and the Information Commissioner said he would ask the force questions about the disclosure.
February 18
Ms Braverman met with police leaders to discuss the handling of the investigation after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also expressed ‘concerns’ about the revelation.
February 19
Appearing on the morning broadcast round, Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt described the police disclosure as ‘shocking’ while shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper, who also wrote to the force over its handling of the case, repeated her concerns about the ‘unusual’ level of private information made public about Ms Bulley.
A new search effort was launched less than a mile from where Ms Bulley vanished.
Later on Sunday, Lancashire Police announced they had found a body in the River Wyre.
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