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<\/p>\nPOLICE investigating Nicola Bulley's disappearance were wrong to release details about her alcohol issues, a damning report has found.<\/p>\n
Nicola, 45, was last seen in St Michael\u2019s on Wyre,\u00a0Lancashire, on January 27, after dropping her daughters off at school.<\/p>\n
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Tragically, the mum-of-two's body was found in the river on February 19 three weeks after she disappeared.<\/p>\n
A 143-page report into Lancashire Police's handling of the case has now been released. <\/p>\n
The review<\/span>, led by the College of Policing, criticised the force for "insufficient focus" and errors of judgement.<\/p>\n In its 17 recommendations, the report found the disclosure of personal details about Nicola's life was "avoidable and unnecessary".<\/p>\n Officers sparked fury when they revealed the mum's struggle with alcohol and the perimenopause.<\/p>\n But the review said they should have instead released non-reportable background information to accredited journalists.<\/p>\n The role of a self-styled underwater search expert was also slammed in the report.<\/p>\n Peter<\/span> Faulding was drafted in to help the hunt for Nicola after claiming police had "low-tech" diving equipment that was unlikely to be able to find a body.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Although police were wary of using Mr Faulding, they feared a negative response so gave permission for him to carry out a search.<\/p>\n As a result, The Sun and other publications quoted him as he was presented as a legitimate expert helping the search.<\/p>\n But Mr Faulding informed Nicola's family he had identified a "body deposition site", which police later said caused unwarranted distress and false alarm.<\/p>\n The report said officers felt some of his behaviour and activities "caused challenges to the investigation".<\/p>\n In response, Mr Faulding today released an astonishing, seven-page statement claiming he found\u00a0Nicola's body\u00a0but was ignored by police.<\/p>\n Chief Constable Andy Marsh, who leads the College of Policing, said: "Throughout our work we have had Nicola's family and friends in our thoughts.<\/p>\n "The purpose of the review was not to attribute blame but identify areas of learning for the constabulary and wider policing.<\/p>\n "The decision to not call the investigation a critical incident, despite it meeting the national definition, set the tone within the constabulary and led to several challenges.<\/p>\n "The most notable of these was the way the constabulary released personal information about Nicola which was avoidable and unnecessary.<\/p>\n "While we have not shied away from criticism, there are also many areas of Lancashire Constabulary's response that should be commended, including an exemplary investigation and a well-conducted search.<\/p>\n "At the heart of the investigation was Nicola. I am left in no doubt that she and her family were foremost in the minds of officers and staff throughout the search."<\/p>\n Nicola's disappearance gripped the nation after it was revealed her mobile was found on a bench by the river still connected to a work conference call.<\/p>\n Her pet springer spaniel Willow\u00a0was also discovered – but there was no trace still of the mum-of-two.<\/p>\n The case saw the tiny village of St Michael\u2019s on Wyre flooded with amateur sleuths all desperate to solve the mystery.<\/p>\n Front gardens were trampled on by social media ghouls and family and friends targeted as rumours reached fever pitch.<\/p>\n An inquest in the summer<\/span> ruled Nicola's death was an accident after she fell in the water and suffered "cold water shock".<\/p>\n The verdict brought an end to speculation that surrounded the mortgage adviser's mysterious disappearance.<\/p>\n Lancashire Police found themselves under a huge amount of pressure as they launched a high risk missing person's case for Nicola just 27 minutes after the first call was received.<\/p>\n The report found initial investigation was well handled but officers lost control of the public narrative at an early stage.<\/p>\n This "information vacuum" was caused by senior officers failing to brief accredited reporters because of a breakdown in trust, which in turn led to unchecked speculation, it added.<\/p>\n The report said: "The investigating team had background information on Nicola that was not publicly available.<\/p>\n "The way in which this information was eventually communicated to the public proved to be the most controversial aspect of the investigation.<\/p>\n "The failure to brief the mainstream media on a non-reportable basis on this information, or to adequately fill the information vacuum, allowed speculation to run unchecked.<\/p>\n "This led to an extraordinary increase in media and public interest in the case, which was fuelled by several newsworthy elements.<\/p>\n "These included the apparent mystery of why Nicola had disappeared, leaving behind her dog and leaving her mobile phone still connected to a Microsoft Teams call."<\/p>\n Dr Iain Raphael, who led the review, said it was "vital" this fractured relationship between the media and police was rebuilt.<\/p>\n He said without this, "speculation can run unchecked and result in an extraordinary explosion of media and public interest in the case".<\/p>\n Dr Raphael also noted the police must "recognise the impact social media now has".<\/p>\nRead more ON NICOLA BULLEY<\/h2>\n
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