Nicola Bulley: Investigation into whether police disclosed personal issues ‘inappropriately’

Lancashire Police criticised for releasing Nicola Bulley’s struggle with alcohol and menopause

A data watchdog is set to probe Lancashire Police about the force’s decision to disclose personal details about missing Nicola Bulley.

Earlier this week, the force detailed how the mother of two’s had been struggling with alcohol and hormone replacement therapy for perimenopause in the lead-up to her disappearance on January 27.

The 45-year-old was last seen walking her dog at around 9.10am along the River Wyre near where she lived with her family in Lancashire village St Michael's on Wyre.

The information commissioner Jonathan Edwards said on Friday it would be taking Lancashire Police to task about the decision to disclose the intimate details.

“Data protection law exists to ensure people's personal information is used properly and fairly. This includes ensuring personal details are not disclosed inappropriately,” Mr Edwards said.

“Police can disclose information to protect the public and investigate crime, but they would need to be able to demonstrate such disclosure was necessary.

“We recognise that at this stage of an intensive, live investigation, the force must focus all their energies on the inquiry. But given the high-profile nature of this case, we will be asking Lancashire Police to set out how they decided to disclose this information in due course,” he added.

The move by the force has been roundly criticised by members of the public, MPs and women’s health campaigners.

The former victims' commissioner, Dame Vera Baird, said she was worried the decision would put people off from making complaints in future as they might fear what information about them would be made public.

Friends and family leave ribbons with messages to Nicola Bulley on a bridge where she was last seen (PA)

She on Friday: “I'm sure they would have explained themselves if they had an explanation ... if it was relevant it needed to be in a public domain at the start and it wasn't. I mean, that is a worrying error. It is frankly dreadful.”

Police maintain that Ms Bulley fell into the river and say there is nothing to suggest any third-party involvement in her disappearance. At the time of writing, the force has not apologised for, explained, or retracted its decision to publicise the personal details. However, the amount of coverage led to the family stepping in to address the growing media frenzy.

A statement on Thursday read: “As a family, we were aware beforehand that Lancashire Police, last night, released a statement with some personal details about our Nikki.

Nicola with her partner Paul Ansell (Nicola Bulley/Facebook)

“Although we know that Nikki would not have wanted this, there are people out there speculating and threatening to sell stories about her. This is appalling and needs to stop.”

The statement added: "Due to the perimenopause Nikki suffered with significant side effects such as brain fog and restless sleep, [she] was taking HRT to help but this was giving her intense headaches… [This] caused Nikki to stop taking the HRT thinking that may have helped her but only ended up causing this crisis.

“The public focus has to be on finding her and not making up wild theories about her personal life.”