Friend defends Nicola Bulley over police sharing alcohol struggles

By ian

February 17, 2023

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Friend defends Nicola Bulley over police sharing alcohol struggles

Missing mother of two 45-year-old Nicola Bulley was last seen on January 27 while walking her springer spaniel Willow in the Lancashire village of St. Michael on the Wyre.

A friend of Nicola Bulley believes that police disclosed her struggles with alcohol due to menopause to “shift the focus away from the lack of progress in the case.”

The 45-year-old mortgage consultant was last seen on January 27 while walking her springer spaniel Willow in the Lancashire village of St. Michael’s on the Wyre.

Missing Mum's Health Issues Resurface, Police Reveal — Missing Mum’s Health Issues Resurface, Police Reveal

Yesterday, at a press conference, police revealed for the first time that the mother of two was deemed “high risk” due to “several specific vulnerabilities.”

ALSO READ: Nicola Bulley’s family blames stopping menopause drugs for health crisis

Despite attempts to use the press conference to debunk unhelpful rumors, they did not elaborate at the time and sparked additional speculation.

Several hours later, the force stated on Facebook that Ms. Bulley “had significant alcohol problems in the past, brought on by her ongoing battles with menopause.”

They further stated that these issues had “reemerged in recent months.”

A family friend who requested anonymity spoke to the Mirror about the family’s anger and stated that this does not aid the investigation.

She stated, “I feel angry for Nikki. She is beautiful, kind, and loving. One of the best possible types of companions.

“This has unjustly portrayed her. I believe the police did this to divert attention away from themselves and their lack of progress.”

The friend also criticized the working hypothesis of Lancashire Police that Nicola fell into the river.

They noted: “I believe they want individuals to accept their theory that she entered the river. I am concerned that the focus will now be on this rather than the search for Nikki.

“We must prioritize determining what has transpired and where she has gone. The focus must be placed on areas not covered by CCTV and on following up on dash cam footage.”

They also stated that they did not blame armchair detectives or TikTokers who traveled to the village for the release of such private information.

ALSO READ: Cops reveal missing mum Nicola Bulley’s ‘vulnerabilities’ during high-risk disappearance

The companion said: “I believe that the tik tokers distract the police from their duties and waste valuable resources.

“However, I doubt it would have made a significant difference in the released information. The police have released this information to deflect attention from themselves. Without them, this would still be the situation.”

They further stated: “Everything that is written will be in the public domain. Her daughters will eventually read this entire text.”

Nicola’s family has released a statement directly appealing to the mother, urging her to “not be afraid” because her daughters “want a hug.”

They noted: “As a family, we believe that the public’s attention has shifted away from finding Nikki and toward speculation and rumors about her and Paul’s private lives.

“As a family, we were aware that Lancashire Police had issued a statement containing personal information about Nikki last night.

“People are speculating and threatening to sell stories about Nikki, even though we are aware that she would not have wanted this. This is abhorrent and must end immediately.”

ALSO READ: New Evidence in Nicola Bulley Case: Stained Glove Found

The family also elaborated on Nicola’s health to end further rumors, stating: “Due to the perimenopause, Nikki suffered from significant side effects such as brain fog and restless sleep. She was taking HRT to alleviate these symptoms, but it was giving her severe headaches, so she stopped taking it in the hope that it would help, but it caused this crisis.

“The focus of the public must be on locating her, not on speculating about her private life.

Contrary to what some media outlets and individuals have suggested, we receive daily updates and assistance from our family liaison officers.

It came after yesterday’s police statement infuriated lawmakers.

Stella Creasy of the Labour Party stated: “The decision to reveal this level of private information about a missing person, without any indication that doing so will aid in locating her, is deeply troubling.

“The police must clarify why any of this helps locate Nicola Bulley or aids in this investigation.”

Alicia Kearns, a member of the Conservative Party, stated that she was “extremely uncomfortable” with the police releasing information about Ms. Bulley’s “so-called ‘vulnerabilities’ regarding menopause and alcohol.”

“I find it difficult to see how this will aid police in their searches and investigations,” she wrote, adding, “I can see how it would aid those who wish to blame the victim or minimize the crime.”

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