Dive specialist says knowing Nicola Bulley was ‘high risk’ would have ‘changed our whole search’
The dive specialist who has been helping police in the hunt for Nicola Bulley says knowing the missing mum was “high risk” would have “changed our whole search”.
Peter Faulding, chief executive of search team Specialist Group International, told Sky News police in Lancashire never made him aware that Ms Bulley had issues with her mental health.
Asked if having that information would have impacted his search, he said: “It would certainly change my search because, from day one, I’ve said this case is so baffling because water at the bottom of the bank at the point where Nicola’s phone and the dog’s harness were found was only two feet deep.
“If she’d have fallen in she would have landed on rocks, she would not have drowned. That’s what has baffled me.”
Mr Faulding said he remained in contact with Paul Ansell, Ms Bulley’s partner, and her family – who released a statement today calling for “wild theories” about her personal life to stop.
He added: “We thoroughly searched that piece of river as we have been tasked by the police.
“If somebody tries to drown themselves or if they are in a strange state of mind they might just wander off somewhere. She might be lying in a ditch, she could have wandered into the woods.
“So that’s the point with a vulnerable person, you don’t know where they’re going to go. It would have changed our whole search.”
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Specialist Group International searching for missing woman Nicola Bulley
Police officers near the River Wyre in St Michael’s on Wyre, Lancashire
Explaining further, he added: “If she had slipped, even if she had gone into deep water she would have been found.
“She would have gone in roughly where she drowned. That is what we find on average with the drownings and suicides we deal with each year – they’re normally found within a couple of metres of where they go down.
“If she was trying to drown herself she may have drifted and potentially gone over the weir, but the police divers searched that area very thoroughly on the day she went missing and there was no sign of her. And that’s why I said this was a baffling case.”
‘A very cruel thing to do’
Asked what he thought about the police releasing personal information about Ms Bulley’s mental state, he said he’d never before seen such information disclosed.
Mr Faulding said that even as a person involved in the search he would normally just be told the individual was “high risk” and not be told specifics of what troubles the missing person was struggling with.
He added: “Normally when you’re searching for a high risk person you just get the information that they’re high risk and that’s it. That’s enough to tell us that someone may harm themselves or come to some harm.
“That’s as a searcher.
“The way it has been released to the media should not have been done. I’ve been getting calls from senior police officers asking what is going on.”
He added that, in his view, the family would be “devastated” that information about the missing mum’s struggles with alcohol had been made public, calling it “a very cruel thing to do”.
However, in a statement released through the police on Thursday, Ms Bulley’s family said they were aware of the police’s plans to release her personal information.
They said the police “know the truth about Nikki”.
Reputation ‘destroyed’ by police revelations
Speaking before the family released the statement, former detective Martyn Underhill said that Lancashire Police have “completely destroyed” Ms Bulley’s reputation by revealing her struggles with alcohol.
He told Sky News that he had never “seen such a level of detail” released in a missing persons case and added that one had to ask why officers were releasing it now.
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Police ‘completely destroyed Nicola Bulley’s reputation’
Speaking to Sky’s Kay Burley, Mr Underhill, who was a detective involved in the Sarah Payne case in 2000, said he was “confused” by Lancashire Police’s strategy.
“You can understand why some people are saying it’s victim blaming to protect their own reputation, ” he said.
“I can’t see how it progresses the case any further forward now we’re three weeks in, to be frank.”
Assistant Chief Constable Peter Lawson (left) and Detective Superintendent Rebecca Smith of Lancashire Police update the media in St Michael’s on Wyre
Having apparently found no trace of the mother-of-two for more than 20 days, police yesterday revealed that they had classified Ms Bulley as “high risk” owing to “a number of specific vulnerabilities”.
After initially refusing to elaborate on what those vulnerabilities were at a press conference, Lancashire Police subsequently released a statement saying: “Nicola had in the past suffered with some significant issues with alcohol which were brought on by her ongoing struggles with the menopause and that these struggles had resurfaced over recent months.”
“This caused some real challenges for Paul and the family,” it added in a reference to Ms Bulley’s partner, Paul Ansell.
‘Unprecedented’ search fails to solve baffling case
Detectives also revealed that they had been at Ms Bulley’s house the week before she disappeared to check her welfare.
Ms Bulley has been missing since 27 January after vanishing when she took her dog Willow for a walk by the River Wyre in Lancashire.
She was last seen at 9.10am that day, after taking her usual route with her springer spaniel, alongside the river.
Her phone, still connected to a work call for her job as a mortgage adviser, was found just over 20 minutes later on a bench overlooking the riverbank, with her dog running loose.
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Missing Nicola ‘had alcohol issues’
Since she vanished, huge public and media interest has resulted in what police described as “false information, accusations and rumours”.
Police insist an “unprecedented” search – of both the River Wyre, downstream to Morecambe Bay and miles of neighbouring farmland – has taken place to find her.
The UK has joined US forces in attacking a Houthi target in Yemen for the first time since Donald Trump was re-elected.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) confirmed the strikes took place on Tuesday as part of the government’s response to Houthi attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
The ministry said careful intelligence analysis identified a cluster of buildings used by the Houthis to manufacture the sort of drones used to attack ships, located 15 miles south of the capital Sanaa.
RAF Typhoon FGR4s conducted strikes on several buildings using Paveway IV precision-guided bombs.
The planes had air refuelling support from Voyager tankers.
The ministry said the strike was conducted after dark to reduce the likelihood of civilians being in the area.
All the aircraft returned safely.
John Healey. Pic: Reuters
Defence Secretary John Healey said: “This government will always act in the interests of our national and economic security.
“Royal Air Force Typhoons have successfully conducted strikes against a Houthi military target in Yemen and all UK aircraft and personnel have returned safely to base.
“We conducted these strikes, supported by the US, to degrade Houthi capabilities and prevent further attacks against UK and international shipping.”
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Mr Healey said Houthi activities in the Red Sea are a “persistent threat” to “freedom of navigation”.
“A 55% drop in shipping through the Red Sea has already cost billions, fuelling regional instability and risking economic security for families in the UK,” he said.
“The government is steadfast in our commitment to reinforcing global stability and protecting British working people. I am proud of the dedication and professionalism shown by the service men and women involved in this operation.”
Listen to The World with Richard Engel and Yalda Hakim every Wednesday
US intensifies strikes on Houthis
It was the first time UK forces have struck a target in Yemen since May last year, the ministry confirmed.
The US has intensified its strikes on the Iran-backed Houthis under Mr Trump’s presidency, after his re-election in November 2024.
The group began launching attacks on shipping routes in November 2023 saying they were in solidarity with Palestinians over Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza.
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Footage showing people being pulled from rubble has been released by Houthi rebels in Yemen
The strike came after a Houthi-controlled TV channel claimed a US strike killed 68 people at a detention centre for African migrants in Yemen on Monday.
UK
No criminal charges over death of ice hockey player Adam Johnson whose neck was cut by opponent’s skate
No criminal charges will be brought over the death of an ice hockey player who died during a match in Sheffield, prosecutors have announced.
Nottingham Panthers’ Adam Johnson died in October 2023 after his neck was cut by an opposition player’s skate during a match at Sheffield’s Utilita Arena.
The Sheffield Steelers player, Matthew Petgrave, was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter and later bailed – but the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has now said it will not bring criminal charges against the Canadian.
Michael Quinn, deputy chief crown prosecutor, said: “This was a shocking and deeply upsetting incident. The CPS and South Yorkshire Police have worked closely together to determine whether any criminal charges should be brought against the other ice hockey player involved.
“Following a thorough police investigation and a comprehensive review of all the evidence by the CPS, we have concluded that there is not a realistic prospect of conviction for any criminal offence and so there will not be a prosecution.
“Our thoughts remain with the family and friends of Adam Johnson.”
Tributes were left outside the Motorpoint Arena in Nottingham following the ice hockey player’s death. Pic PA
Before joining Nottingham Panthers, the Minnesota-born Johnson played in Pennsylvania for the Pittsburgh Penguins, and Sweden for the Malmo Redhawks.
He also played in California for Ontario Reign and in Germany for Augsburger Panther.
A post-mortem examination confirmed the 29-year-old died as a result of the fatal neck injury.
The crowd of 8,000 spectators watched in horror as desperate attempts were made to save his life as he lay on the ice, shielded by fellow players.
The game was abandoned and spectators were asked to leave in the aftermath.
Pic PA
Kari Johnson, Johnson’s aunt, was watching the match via a livestream with his father and grandmother when he was fatally injured.
Speaking to Sky News at the time, Ms Johnson said: “It was a mess, it was a nightmare, it was like it wasn’t real. We were in shock, we couldn’t believe this was happening.”
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Kari Johnson said her nephew was ‘a kind soul’
Ms Johnson described her nephew as a “kind soul” and a “private kid” who “never would have wanted to be in the limelight like this”.
He simply wanted to be “good at hockey and have fun”, she said, adding he was “having the time of his life in the UK” and was planning to get engaged to his girlfriend.
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In January 2024, Sheffield’s senior coroner, Tanyka Rawden, suspended her investigation while the police inquiry took its course.
It later emerged that Ms Rawden had issued a Prevention of Future Deaths Report to Ice Hockey UK and the English Ice Hockey Association (EIHA) about the use of neck guards in the sport.
In the report, Ms Rawden said she was “sufficiently concerned that deaths may occur in the future if neck guards or protectors are not worn”, with the bodies given 56 days to say what action had been taken – or why action had not been taken.
Neck guards have been mandatory in the Elite League (EIHL), in which the Nottingham Panthers and Sheffield Steelers compete, since January 2024.
This followed the International Ice Hockey Federation’s decision in December to mandate the use of neck laceration protectors for its competitions.
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