Nicola Bulley's body identified by dental records after mum pulled from river
Nicola Bulley's body was identified by dental records after the missing mum was recovered from a river on Sunday.
The inquest into the mortgage adviser's death was opened at Lancashire Coroner’s Court today, with Miss Bulley's family choosing not to attend.
The hearing, which lasted five minutes, did not determine her cause of death as the coroner said they expect a full inquest to be held in June.
The mum-of-two was discovered 23 days after her disappearance, less than a mile downstream from where she was last seen, following a tip-off from two walkers.
Nicola was identified by her dental records, the opening of her inquest heard today.
Mum appeared 'completely normal' moments before vanishing while walking dog
Detective Chief Superintendent Pauline Stables and Assistant Chief Constable Peter Lawson speak outside Lancashire Police HQ (Julian Hamilton/Daily Mirror)Opening the inquest, senior coroner Dr James Adeley said he had contacted consultant maxillofacial surgeon Ian Edwards to ask him to compare dental records obtained by police from the Great Eccleston dental surgery.
Dr Adeley said the surgeon found restorative work carried out was identical.
He said: “I am satisfied on the balance of probabilities, and more, that positive identification has been made.”
Dr Adeley said: “The family have been informed of the date, time and place of the opening of the inquest and have chosen not to attend for reasons I can quite understand.”
He said that a full inquest will take place in June.
Nicola Bulley had been walking her dog in St Michael's on Wyre when she went missing on January 27 (Lancashire Constabulary / SWNS.C)He added that the remaining evidence gathered by police and the post-mortem examination required “further evaluation” once the availability of a Home Office pathologist had been checked.
He said: “This will allow time to collate the facts of the case and allow the experts involved to finalise the findings from investigations that still need to be undertaken.”
The hearing was attended by six members of the press and lasted about five minutes.
Police officers walk past flowers and yellow ribbons tied to a bridge for Nicola Bulley (PA)Nicola had been walking her dog in St Michael's on Wyre after dropping her daughters, aged six and nine, at school on January 27.
It is understood that a man and a woman saw the body and called the police - who said they were called to the River Wyre at around 11.35am.
Devastated parents promise to never stop looking for mum-of-two who vanished
The force, which initially said it was treating her death as "unexplained", confirmed that the body had been formally identified as Nicola.
Lancashire Police called a press conference on Monday, where it did not address the widespread criticism received for releasing some aspects of Nicola's private life into the public domain.
Nicola Bulley's body was found on February 19 (Lancashire Constabulary / SWNS.C)Police also did not disclose the reasons it had taken 23 days to find her body in the river.
Speaking at the force's HQ, Assistant Chief Constable Peter Lawson described the investigation as "hugely complex and highly emotional". He did not take questions from the media present.
Nicola's case sparked national interest from the media and individuals alike - leading to the family slamming the harmful speculation that spread like wildfire.
This morning, a GoFundMe campaign surpassed its £10,000 target to raise funds for Nicola's funeral and to further support the family.
Her family also paid tribute to the 45-year-old in a statement read by the force's head of crime Detective Chief Superintendent Pauline Stables, where they said: "We love you, always have and always will."
Ms Bulley's family said that she was 'the centre of our world' (Lancashire Constabulary / SWNS.C)The statement read: "Our family liaison officers have had to confirm our worst fears today.
"We will never be able to comprehend what Nikki had gone through in her last moments and that will never leave us.
"We will never forget Nikki, how could we, she was the centre of our world, she was the one who made our lives so special and nothing will cast a shadow over that.
"Our girls will get the support they need from the people who love them the most."
Paying further tribute to Nicola at the end of their statement, the family added: "To those who genuinely helped and supported us, privately, we thank you.
Flowers and ribbons tied to a bridge over the River Wyre (PA)"The community support in St Michael's, friends, neighbours and strangers has been nothing short of comforting and heart-warming. Friends you know who you are. Thank you.
"Our hearts truly break for others who have missing loved ones. Keep that hope alive. Finally, Nikki, you are no longer a missing person, you have been found, we can let you rest now.
"We love you, always have and always will, we'll take it from here."
The family also questioned the role of the press during the investigation and accused the media of "misquoting and vilifying" Nicola partner, relatives and friends.
"It saddens us to think that one day we will have to explain to them (Ms Bulley's children) that the press and members of the public accused their dad of wrongdoing, misquoted and vilified friends and family," the statement said.
Police dive teams at the riverside on Sunday (Dave Nelson)"This is absolutely appalling, they have to be held accountable. This cannot happen to another family.
"Do the press and other media channels and so-called professionals not know when to stop? These are our lives and our children's lives."
A massive search was launched on land, air and out nearly 14 miles to the sear with specialist divers, drones, dogs and officers using boats to trawl the river after Nicola was reported missing.
Divers using high-tech equipment were seen trawling the river as specialist officers combed the riverbanks and conducted house-to-house searches
Her body was found on a stretch of the river just past a slight bend, a mile or so outside the village, close to where a tree had fallen on its side half in and half outside the water, with branches and undergrowth partially submerged.
Police had erected a tent and cordoned off the lane while police divers were called in, but the road was reopened around three hours later once the body was recovered.
The area on the River Wyre where a body was recovered on Sunday (Julian Hamilton/Daily Mirror)In his statement confirming her body had been identified, ACC Lawson said: "We recognise the huge impact that Nicola's disappearance has had on her family and friends, but also on the people of St Michael's.
"We would like to thank all of those who have helped during what has been a hugely complex and highly emotional investigation.
"Today's development is not the outcome any of us would have wanted, but we hope that it can at least start to provide some answers for Nicola's loved ones, who remain foremost in our thoughts.
"The case is now being handled by HM Coroner."
Members of the public tie flowers and ribbons on a bridge over the river (PA)The force came under fire after making Niocla's struggles with alcohol and perimenopause public three weeks after she vanished.
In a press conference on February 15, they revealed she was classed as a "high-risk" missing person immediately after partner Paul Ansell reported her disappearance, "based on a number of specific vulnerabilities".
They later added in a statement that Nicola, from Inskip in Lancashire, had stopped taking her HRT medication.
A public backlash and interventions from the Government and shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper followed, with Lancashire Constabulary confirming a date had been set for an internal review into the investigation.
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
