Nicola Bulley police will look into all sex offenders in bid to crack missing mum case, former Scotland Yard cop says
POLICE investigating the disappearance of Nicola Bulley are looking into all registered sex offenders in the area, a former cop claims.
The mum-of-two vanished 18 days ago while out walking her dog by the river in St Michael’s on Wyre, Lancashire, and detectives are no closer to cracking the case.
Lancashire Police is still working on the theory she fell into the water in a "tragic accident".
But after extensive searches and no sign of the 45-year-old, the "open-minded" force is probing other possibilities.
This is said to include that Nicola left of her own accord and that she was snatched.
As part of their inquiry, police are compiling a list of registered sex offenders in the region as is protocol, according to a former Scotland Yard veteran.
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Mick Neville, who was Metropolitan Police Detective Chief Inspector in charge of solving crimes with images, told : "If there are any, their movements will be accounted for, as well as any similar cases being looked at again with this disappearance in mind.
"There will be an intelligence unit scouring all of this."
Other details being probed include reports of two men trying to hide their faces near Nicola's dog-walking route the day before she went missing.
A local said the pair were carrying fishing rods and appeared to be wearing hats or hoods, adding: "It was very strange. It made me uneasy."
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Cops are also trawling through CCTV from the area and trying to trace the owner of a shabby-looking red van spotted outside a barn on the morning Nicola vanished.
Tree surgeon Denis Rowlandson, 47, said of the vehicle: ";I don’t know anybody with a red van who should be parked outside that barn or near the entrance
"There’s no reason to be there at all without my permission."
Nicola disappeared after dropping her two children off at school on January 27.
She was last seen in a field with her Springer Spaniel Willow along the River Wyre at 9.10am.
Her phone, which was still connected to a work call, the pup and its lead and harness were found around 25 minutes later.
Police suspect Nicola may have accidentally fallen into the water and drowned but insist they remain “open” to all lines of inquiry.
Her partner Paul Ansell and pals are convinced she is not in the river.
'SHE'S NOT IN THAT RIVER'
Charlotte Drake, who has lived next door to the couple in Inskip for five years, said: "We’ve all said from 11am on day one when the police showed up… 'She’s not in that river'.
"My gut feeling remains the same. I honestly believe Nikki is not in the water."
Paul, who told Channel 5 that his family was going through "unprecedented hell", added: "Extensive searching, as you're probably aware, has gone on in that river and the underwater rescue teams have thankfully found absolutely nothing.
"Personally, I am 100 per cent convinced it's not the river, that's my opinion.
"You cannot walk your dog down a river and just vanish into thin air.
"Something happened that day, something."
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Anyone with information is asked to call 101, quoting log 473 of January 27.
For immediate sightings, call 999.
