Press watchdog ‘actively looking’ at coverage of Nicola Bulley case but no plans for investigation

The press watchdog has said it is “actively looking” at newspaper coverage of the disappearance of Nicola Bulley earlier this year but had no current plans to launch an investigation.

An inquest ruled this week that Ms Bulley drowned after accidentally falling into cold water in the River Wyre in Lancashire.

The 45-year-old’s disappearance on 27 January this year sparked a major manhunt, receiving nationwide media coverage and triggering a social media frenzy of speculation.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Independent Press Standards Organisation (Ipso) chief executive Charlotte Dewar said the case was being considered but there were no plans to launch an investigation at this stage.

She said: “We can conduct editorial standards investigation where there are serious and systemic breaches of the Editors’ Code.

“I think at this point on this issue we aren’t there, but we are very actively looking at it.

“And of course, should it be clear that that has transpired, then we would take that step.”

Shown some examples of media coverage at the time, Ms Dewar was asked if she was happy certain headlines were not an intrusion into Ms Bulley’s family life.

“I haven’t said that,” she added, “We look very specifically at individual instances of concern.”

She said Ipso had been in touch with family liaison officers, representing the family, and other public bodies involved.

“We’ve given a very clear opportunity and been very, very open that we’d like to engage with them about their concerns”, she said, “But at this point, there’s nothing active.”

Mother-of-two Ms Bulley was walking her dog alongside the river in St Michael’s on Wyre, Lancashire after dropping her children at school when she vanished.

The mortgage adviser’s body was found in the river more than three weeks later on 19 February.

During the search for Ms Bulley, her family criticised accused media of having “misquoted and vilified” friends and family.

“This is absolutely appalling, they have to be held accountable, this cannot happen to another family”, they said.

Lancashire Police was also criticised for revealing details of Ms Bulley’s struggles with alcohol and perimenopause during the investigation.

TikTok and YouTube content producers descended on the area at the time of the investigation and there was considerable speculation about her disappearance on social media.

Speaking after the inquest findings, the family said they continued “to receive negative targeted messages and still witness wildly inaccurate speculation being shared over numerous platforms”.

“We encourage people to look at the facts, the evidence which has been heard during the inquest, and the conclusion reached by the coroner, to ignore any amateur views and opinions, and be mindful of the impact words bring”, their statement added.