Trolls hack the Pinterest account of Nicola Bulley’s missing partner Paul Ansell with explicit images

Online trolls have reportedly hacked into the social media accounts of Nicola Bulley’s missing partner, Paul Ansell, to post sexually explicit images of women – as police revealed this afternoon their search had found a body .

Hackers posted the explicit content to Paul Ansell’s Pinterest account yesterday before it was removed, Lancashire Police confirmed in a statement.

The posts included women in lingerie and bikinis as well as topless women, the Sunday Express reported.

Lancashire Police said: “Paul Ansell’s Pinterest account has been accessed by a third party and is being closed. We are investigating the matter.’

They added that the account has now been deactivated and have opened an investigation into how the account was hacked.

Paul Ansell – partner of missing Nicola Bulley – had his social media accounts hacked by internet trolls

Mr Ansell, 44, has worked tirelessly to bring Nicola home and has vowed he would ‘never give up’ in the search for her (pictured in an interview with Channel 5).

The disturbing development comes as police have recovered a body while searching for the missing dog walker – less than a mile from her disappearance 23 days ago.

After receiving a tip from two walkers, an area near Rawcliffe Road on the River Wyre was cordoned off and a major search was launched.

It was confirmed shortly after that a body had been found, but the force is awaiting the completion of a formal identification.

Mr Ansell, 44, has worked tirelessly to bring Nicola home and has vowed he would “never give up” in the search for her.

He was pictured speaking to officers and diving expert Peter Faulding, who was leading the search, tying a yellow ribbon to the bridge near where she disappeared with a note that read: “Nikki, I love you! XXXXX Come home now!’

He said: “I want every house, garage, outbuilding, property to be looked at. I want everything to be searched. I want everything to be scrutinized, every bit of it.”

Ms Bulley was last seen around 9.10am on January 27 walking her dog Willow by the River Wyre in St Michael’s on Wyre, Lancashire, near her home in Inskip.

She had taken her daughters, ages six and nine, to school and was out on her usual walk when she disappeared. Her phone – still connected to a call for her job as a mortgage advisor – was found on a bench overlooking the river.

A police dive team on the River Wyre near St Michael in Wyre, Lancashire on Sunday as police continue their search for missing woman Nicola Bulley, 45

Mr Ansell was previously pictured speaking to officers and diving expert Peter Faulding, who was leading the search

Ms Bulley was last seen around 9.10am on January 27 walking along the River Wyre with her dog Willow

Paul said he was “at home having tea” as usual when she disappeared while he was working from home and was worried when she hadn’t returned home by 10.30am.

The engineer has maintained hope that she is still alive, although officials said their main working hypothesis remains that Ms Bulley is in flux.

He previously spoke about online abuse he received for Channel 5’s program Vanished: Where’s Nicola Bulley?

The high level of interest in the case has meant that Mr Ansell has been subject to trolling from all corners of the internet – including from those who have made allegations against him.

He said: “It would be annoying if I allowed myself to read everything. I’ve seen quite a bit.’

But he added that “most people have been amazing.”

Ms Bulley’s devastated partner revealed they had often discussed marriage but put their plans on hold due to the pandemic.

The discovery came today after a huge search was muddled after two walkers discovered the body.

Mr Ansell tied a yellow ribbon to a bridge nearby where Ms Bulley disappeared and read: ‘Nikki I love you! Come home now!’

Around a dozen vehicles remain at the scene where police found a body

Detective Superintendent Rebecca Smith, who led the search, arrived just before police confirmed the heartbreaking discovery.

The male walker was seen with his face ashen as he spoke to police, pointing to a ledge of trees and undergrowth on the shore and saying: “There’s definitely a body there.”

At 1pm on Sunday, police drones and a helicopter hovered over the tree ledges and undergrowth while police divers made their way to the banks of the River Wyre.

Soon after, Lancashire Police confirmed that a body had been found in the river.

Three weeks ago, a massive police presence with dozens of officers, divers, search experts and high-tech equipment, including drones, swept over the village.

Specialist searchers, including Peter Faulding, who searched the river with sonar equipment, also spent days in the area.

Mr Faulding took the unusual step of publicly stating he didn’t think Ms Bulley was in the river as it was so shallow that if she had fallen in she could just ‘stand up’.

Criticism of the force has mounted since the 45-year-old’s disappearance on January 27.

This week police publicly released information about Nicola Bulley’s struggles with alcohol sparked by menopause – a decision critics called “sexist”.

Former police officers have also questioned why basic measures such as sealing off the area where Ms Bulley’s phone and dog were discovered for a forensic examination have not been completed.

The force has confirmed a date has been set for the internal review, which will be conducted by its Head of Crime, Detective Chief Superintendent Pauline Stables – but that date has not been released.

On Friday, Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley offered to carry out a check on behalf of the force, but Lancashire Police faced criticism after deciding to do it themselves.

In a statement released today, Lancashire Police said: “This morning, Sunday 19 February, you may have become aware of police activity around the river near St Michaels.

“We would like to keep you informed of this activity. We were called at 11:36am today with reports of a body in the River Wyre near Rawcliffe Road.

“An underwater search team and specialized officers subsequently joined the scene, entered the water and unfortunately recovered a body.

“No formal identification has yet been carried out, so we cannot say at this time if this is Nicola Bulley.

“Procedures to identify the body are ongoing. We are currently treating the death as unexplained.

“Nicola’s family have been informed of the developments and our thoughts are with them at this most difficult of times. We ask that your privacy be respected.’

Source: | This article originally belongs to Dailymail.co.uk