08 March 2023 , 22:21
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A man has been arrested after footage was shot from inside a police cordon on the day the body of Nicola Bulley was found.
Lancashire Constabulary confirmed the man, 34, from Kidderminster, was arrested on suspicion of malicious communications offences and perverting the course of justice in connection with the investigation to find the mum.
“Our priority is, and has always been, to support Nicola’s family and the wider community in St Michael’s. We hope this arrest provides reassurance that we take concerns seriously and will act on them,” Lancashire Constabulary said.
The arrest relates to footage taken from inside a police cordon on February 19, when Nicola was found in the River Wyre in Lancashire.
The man was held on Wednesday morning with assistance from West Mercia Police, and has since been released on bail with conditions, the force added.
Mum appeared 'completely normal' moments before vanishing while walking dog
'We hope this arrest provides reassurance that we take concerns seriously,' police said (PA)Nicola's disappearance resulted in a huge amount of speculation online as police worked to try and find out what happened to her.
Her pet springer spaniel Willow was found nearby and her work phone was on a bench and still connected to a work conference call.
Lancashire cops eventually had to ask the public not to "take the law into their own hands" as the investigation continued.
A week before she was found, police issued a dispersal order giving officers power to break up groups. They also warned against "grossly offensive" comments made by people online.
Amateur sleuths were found to be filming videos outside the homes of residents in Nicola's village.
A police spokesperson said at the time: "We hope that will give people some reassurance that we will not tolerate criminality, including trespass and criminal damage.
"We are also aware of a number of grossly offensive comments being made on social media and elsewhere.
A police diving team at the River Wyre (PA)"We are looking into these and will not hesitate to take action where appropriate."
Nicola went missing for more than three weeks and her body was found less than a mile from where she was last seen in St Michael's on Wyre on January 27.
An independent criminal investigator accused Lancashire Police of "major failings"
Devastated parents promise to never stop looking for mum-of-two who vanished
Detective-turned-journalist Mark Williams-Thomas slammed the force's media strategy as "totally wrong."
Just hours after police had said Nicola had "vulnerabilities" and was classed as High Risk, controversy was also sparked when the force released a statement disclosing that the mum's struggles with alcohol due to the menopause had recently resurfaced.
Former detective Martyn Underhill, who worked on the Sarah Payne case in 2000, also called for an independent review.