Nicola Bulley: Former Commissioner slams 'odd' line of enquiry

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An ex-Police and Crime Commissioner has described the investigation into missing mum Nicola Bulley as “all very odd and slightly concerning”. Lancashire Constabulary has said Ms BUlley, 45, fell into the River Wyre near the village of St Michael’s on Wyre in Lancashire on January 27. Detectives have also ruled out the involvement of a third party, maintaining the mortgage adviser’s disappearance is a tragic case of a missing person.

Martyn Underhill, a former Police and Crime Commissioner for Dorset, has said officers cannot rule out criminality.

He told GB News: “There are two golden rules in any case like this, one is to respect the golden hour.

“The first 24 hours are absolutely crucial to a case like this, and the second is to keep an open mind and to hear the police say that this is a tragic accident on what we’ve got in the public domain at the moment I cannot understand that statement.

“And at a stroke of a pen by saying that, they are reducing the publicity, they are clearly upsetting the family who are now speaking out against them and they are putting all their eggs in one basket, which professionally I find very odd.”

A timeline put together by the police lists Ms Bulley’s last known movements, but there is a 10-minute window in which she is unaccounted for.

Mr Underhill, who was in charge of the investigation into the disappearance of Sarah Payne in 2000, added: “You only have to look at the Julia James case in Kent a couple of years ago – the PCSO, off duty, walking her dog – who was tragically attacked.

“That attack [lasted] less than one minute. A ten-minute window you cannot rule out criminality. You cannot rule out a third party being at that location.”

The former Sussex Detective Chief Inspector added: “I cannot believe you’ve got senior officers saying this is clearly a tragic accident.”

READ ABOUT A TEXT MESSAGE SENT ‘MINUTES BEFORE’ NICOLA BULLEY VANISHED

He added: “There is a lot to suggest this could have been an unexpected attack or a kidnap of a lady distracted on her phone and with the dog.

“And don’t forget the dog was found dry and out of his harness, both of which are unusual.”

Leading forensics experts have also questioned Lancashire Police’s theory with Peter Faulding, founder of private underwater search firm Specialist Group International (SGI), telling TalkTV his gut instinct is that Ms Bulley is not in the water.

SIG is in its second day of searching the River Wyre, having scoured a three to four mile stretch on Monday (February 6).

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Dan Matthews, Forensic Science Senior Lecturer at the University of Lincoln, told Express.co.uk the police may be holding back from publishing some details of the case to aid their investigation.

He said: “Unless they are investigating something which they may have, I don’t think there’s anything to support any hypothesis at this stage. But the police may not be disclosing what they may have for investigative purposes, and they are within their right to do that.”

The police are now believed to be focusing on the river path leading from fields back to nearby Garstang Road. They have urged drivers and cyclists who travelled that way on January 27, as well as anyone with CCTV or Ring Doorbell footage, to contact them.

Meanwhile, in a statement released on Monday through Lancashire Police, Ms Bulley’s partner Paul Ansell said: “I have two little girls who miss their mummy desperately and who need her back.”

The statement continued: “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.

“We are also really grateful to Peter and his team from SGI for coming up and helping support the work of Lancashire Police as they continue their investigation.”

Lancashire Police also released two new images of Ms Bulley on the day she went missing, when she dropped her two daughters, aged six and nine, off at school and then went on her usual dog walk along the river.

The force said: “Our working hypothesis remains that Nicola sadly fell into the river for some reason, but we remain open minded, and we are continuing to carry out a huge number of inquiries.”

Detective Superintendent Rebecca Smith, of Lancashire Police, said: “The team working on this investigation are completely dedicated and determined to find Nicola.

“As a mother myself, I can’t even begin to imagine what her two children are going through.

“Please be reassured that our sole focus is Nicola and that we are doing everything we can to find her.

“It is not possible to provide every piece of information to the public because to do so would detract from the investigation, but I’d like to thank everyone who has assisted us so far and for the support provided to Nicola’s family at this extremely difficult time.

“They are being supported and updated throughout.”

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