The release of sensitive details about the missing woman Nicola Bulley was “as sexist as it comes”, the former victims’ commissioner has said, as Lancashire constabulary come under further pressure over their handling of the case.
Dame Vera Baird condemned the force’s “dreadful” decision to divulge medical information about Bulley, saying it was “the biggest error that I have seen for quite a long time”.
The Lancashire constabulary has faced growing scrutiny since it revealed that Bulley, 45, had had “significant issues with alcohol”, brought on by the menopause, before she disappeared three weeks ago.
Police searches have been focused on the River Wyre, into which she is thought to have fallen, though specialist divers have yet to find anything.
On Friday morning, Bulley’s father, Ernie, spoke about the need for a breakthrough in the case.
“Every day is a struggle,” he told Sky News. “[We’re] no further on from three weeks ago. [We] just need a breakthrough to give us some hope.”
Lancashire constabulary had come under increasing pressure to provide more details to the public in the days running up to the release of her personal information.
The force said on Friday it would conduct an internal review into the investigation, to be carried out by its head of crime, DCS Pauline Stables.
Suella Braverman spoke with Lancashire constabulary on Friday about her concerns over the disclosing of Bulley’s personal information. A source close to the home secretary said she outlined her concerns during a meeting with the force’s leadership.
“The home secretary today spoke with Lancashire police chief constable Chris Rowley and his senior team to discuss the handling of the investigation into the disappearance of Nicola Bulley,” the source said.
“The home secretary asked to be kept updated on the investigation.”
Rishi Sunak told broadcasters earlier in the day that, like the home secretary, he was “concerned that private information was put into the public domain” by officers.
The prime minister said he was “pleased that the police are looking at how that happened in the investigation”.
The information commissioner also said he would be asking the police about their decision to make the disclosure.
John Edwards said: “Data protection law exists to ensure people’s personal information is used properly and fairly. This includes ensuring personal details are not disclosed inappropriately …. 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 reached the decision to disclose this information in due course.”
The row has overshadowed the marking of three weeks since Bulley disappeared from the Lancashire village of St Michael’s on Wyre on 27 January after dropping her two children at school.
Baird, a barrister and former Labour minister who stepped down as victims’ commissioner last year, described the divulgence as “a dreadful error” that risked hampering future missing person searches because families would “face the torment of not knowing whether to run the risk of gratuitously wrecking your relative’s reputation by giving every detail away”.
She told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I’m afraid this is the biggest error that I have seen for quite a long time. It’s going to just, you know, very sadly, to undermine trust in the police yet further.”
Baird said she thought the police would not have released such sensitive details had a man gone missing: “It is a dreadful error to put this in the public domain for absolutely nothing and I’m afraid I think it’s as sexist as it comes.”
Keir Starmer said he felt uncomfortable to hear about Bulley’s private life, though he was “well aware of the difficulties that investigators have when those that don’t know the true facts start commenting and so my general rule is not to get too drawn in”.
The Labour leader, who is a former director of public prosecutions, said: “I was very surprised to see what the police had put out there. I was not sure why that degree of personal information was necessary.”
In a statement released through Lancashire constabulary on Thursday, Bulley’s family pleaded with the public to stop the “appalling” speculation about the mortgage adviser’s private life.
Bulley’s family said they had been aware in advance that the force was planning to release personal information about “our Nikki” but stopped short of saying they had approved it. They added: “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.”
Michael Vincent, the leader of Wyre council, said on Friday there were “lessons to be learned” by the force but that “they’ve done their best in difficult circumstances”. He said people in the village, which has a population of about 600, had hired an external security company because of the high level of interest in the case.
He told Sky News: “People have reported being sat in their living rooms in an afternoon watching television and people coming up to the windows, peering in, trying the doors. It’s been terrifying for them. These are typically older people extremely scared in their own homes. The residents have had to employ an external security company. That’s just not acceptable.”
Lancashire constabulary has referred itself to the police watchdog over the contact that officers had with Bulley on 10 January as part of a welfare check. The Independent Office for Police Conduct is assessing the information.
It remains the police’s “working hypothesis” that Bulley fell into the River Wyre while taking her dog, Willow, for a walk. Her phone was found still connected to a work conference call.
Officers have also searched the land surrounding the area where Bulley was last seen, including 300 buildings.
