Nicola Bulley’s body was identified by dental records, inquest confirms
An inquest into the death of Nicola Bulley revealed the mum’s body was identified by her dental records.
Maxillofacial surgeon Andrew Ian Edwards examined the 45-year-old dental records, which police obtained from a past dental surgery.
Speaking about Edwards’s findings, senior coroner Dr James Adeley told Preston Coroner’s Court the reconstructive work was “identical”.
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He said: “He examined the body that was located in the River Wyre near Rawcliffe Road in St Michael’s on Wyre at 2.15 pm on February 20.
“I am satisfied on the balance of probabilities, and more, that positive identification has been made.”
(Image: Lancashire Constabulary / SWNS.C)
Neither Ms Bulley’s family, nor her partner Paul Ansell attended the hearing, which lasted five minutes.
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 added that the remaining evidence gathered by police and the post-mortem examination required “further evaluation”.
A full inquest was likely to be held in June, pending the availability of a Home Office pathologist.
(Image: Tom Maddick SWNS)
“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 coroner said.
Ms Bulley’s body was pulled from the River Wyre in Lancashire on Sunday after she was reported missing on January 27.
The mum of two had dropped her children off at school before taking her dog, Willow, for a walk in St Michael’s on Wyre
In a press conference on Monday (February 20), Lancashire Police described the investigation into her disappearance as “hugely complex and highly emotional”.
The force has received fierce criticism over the handling of the investigation after releasing information that the mum may have suffered issues with alcohol due to menopause.
Ms Bulley’s family said in a statement on Monday that they can let her “rest now” following the discovery of her remains
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