A man has been arrested for allegedly shooting footage inside a police cordon on the day Nicola Bulley's body was found, before uploading the video to TikTok.
Nicola Bulley, 45, went missing on January 27 after her dog Willow was seen alone at around 10:30 AM near the River Wyre in St. Michael's On Wyre, Lancashire.
The case gained worldwide attention as the police were joined by expert divers who couldn't locate Bulley within the river, with diver Peter Faudling declaring that he was "truly baffled" by her disappearance.
With the search for Bulley lasting over three weeks, some began criticizing the police and they were forced to defend their investigation during a press conference.
With the widespread intrigue surrounding the investigation, the police also noted that amateur sleuths were hindering their search, as many took to TikTok in an attempt to find the missing mother-of-two themselves.
As reported by the Daily Mail, police were forced to hand a dispersal notice to a group of men who had made the 50-mile journey from Liverpool to the site of Bulley's disappearance.
On February 19, a body was located in the River Wyre and was removed with an identification yet to be revealed to the public. The following day, the body was confirmed to be that of Bulley.
On the day the body was removed, a 34-year-old man who had been documenting the search for Bulley on his TikTok account allegedly headed to the scene.
Claiming that his car was past the police cordon, authorities let him through under the guidance that he headed straight to his vehicle.
The unnamed man allegedly found a secluded spot where he filmed police removing the body from the river, offering his commentary on proceedings.
As reported by BBC News, the 34-year-old from Kidderminster, Worcestershire, has since been arrested and detained "on suspicion of malicious communications offenses and perverting the course of justice."
A spokesperson from Lancashire Police said: "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."
The man has since been released on bail.
Following the formal identification of Bulley's body, her family released a statement via Lancashire Police, saying: "To those that genuinely helped and supported us privately, we thank you.
"The community support in St Michael's, friends, neighbors, and strangers, has been nothing short of comforting and heartwarming. 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 will take it from here."
