Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Site stuff

Join our Innovation Panel to try new features early and help make Mumsnet better.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Post deleted/hidden overnight

237 replies

ofwarren · 11/02/2023 09:26

Hi,

The Nicola Bulley thread must have been hidden overnight by nightwatch. I wasn't on it at the time to see what happened.
Are we allowed the post back or are we not allowed to discuss it now?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
8
DogInATent · 11/02/2023 11:21

Was that the tarot reading thread?
Tbh, all these threads end up attracting the Conspiracy Miss Marples with their ghoulish crackpot theories.

ofwarren · 11/02/2023 11:22

confounded234 · 11/02/2023 11:21

Given the profound lack of confidence in the police investigation expressed by Paul, I think it’s important that in a democratic society there should be opportunities for the public to express doubts and expose holes in official narratives, so long as nothing libellous is mentioned. If the public can’t do that then we are heading towards authoritarianism where questions official narratives can result in punishment from the state. It’s a slippery slope

This, exactly

OP posts:
ofwarren · 11/02/2023 11:23

DogInATent · 11/02/2023 11:21

Was that the tarot reading thread?
Tbh, all these threads end up attracting the Conspiracy Miss Marples with their ghoulish crackpot theories.

No, just a general news thread on the news board.

OP posts:
Butitsnotfunnyisititsserious · 11/02/2023 11:24

Blughbablugh · 11/02/2023 11:03

People are treating this like some csi drama rather than it actually being about a poor family's hellish reality. All of the amateur armchair detectives is quite frankly disgusting. I'm glad mumsnet hae taken the threads down!

I agree. In reality whatever you think of the police investigation, they know more than you will. Not everything the police know will be public, as it shouldn't be.

confounded234 · 11/02/2023 11:26

Butitsnotfunnyisititsserious · 11/02/2023 11:24

I agree. In reality whatever you think of the police investigation, they know more than you will. Not everything the police know will be public, as it shouldn't be.

No one is saying that. However it appears Paul does not know any more than the public and has received no additional information. If the police do know more than they are saying, and frankly I doubt that, then they are keeping it from the family too

ofwarren · 11/02/2023 11:26

Butitsnotfunnyisititsserious · 11/02/2023 11:24

I agree. In reality whatever you think of the police investigation, they know more than you will. Not everything the police know will be public, as it shouldn't be.

And we all know that! It is discussed on the thread many times!
Not once did we try and say we know more than the police and everything should be in the public domain.

OP posts:
Bluebellwood129 · 11/02/2023 11:32

confounded234 · 11/02/2023 11:21

Given the profound lack of confidence in the police investigation expressed by Paul, I think it’s important that in a democratic society there should be opportunities for the public to express doubts and expose holes in official narratives, so long as nothing libellous is mentioned. If the public can’t do that then we are heading towards authoritarianism where questions official narratives can result in punishment from the state. It’s a slippery slope

I agree.

Butitsnotfunnyisititsserious · 11/02/2023 11:35

If the police do know more than they are saying, and frankly I doubt that, then they are keeping it from the family too

Which they could be. And quite frankly, in times I understand why they would.

Hillsmakeyoustrong · 11/02/2023 11:39

The police has said not to speculate online. For me that means inferring and making defamatory comments. Hypotheses and expressing genuine concern around what has happened to Nicola and the police's handling of the case should be a given in a democratic society.

Paul has said he wants the surrounding land and buildings to be searched as that particular trail is really only known to and frequented by the local community. He knows Nicola, knows the area and has two little girls that want to know what's happened to their mummy. He deserves to be heard after two weeks of 'unprecedented hell' and given that noone else has the insight he has. He is feeling angry and frustrated and personally I think discussion needs to continue albeit in a sensitive and sensible manner.

2bazookas · 11/02/2023 11:50

AIUI Her family and friends have asked the general public to back off, STOP SPECULATING and gossiping, to NOT turn up at the site getting in the way of searches and police enquiries.

MN should take note. If it has, good.

Activelyannoyed · 11/02/2023 11:51

PurpleButterflyWings · 11/02/2023 11:15

And I shall start by hiding THIS thread!

Awesome. I think we are delighted about that. If you can convince your friends who are reading every word obsessively, and then complaining, to do the same, we’d be grateful,

thanks muchy. We all know your opinion. No need to keep telling us. Pop over to Twitter or net huns or Reddit and spread the word there that you want this focus off and for people to be silenced. Then start emailing the mail etc. your work here is done.

Activelyannoyed · 11/02/2023 11:57

2bazookas · 11/02/2023 11:50

AIUI Her family and friends have asked the general public to back off, STOP SPECULATING and gossiping, to NOT turn up at the site getting in the way of searches and police enquiries.

MN should take note. If it has, good.

you can’t see the nuance> you think any form of discussion is what the family want silenced. I’d beg to disagree. They want the focus on. What they don’t want is people turning up. Taking the law into their own hands, taking selfies, or throwing hurtful accusations about.

at no stage have they said we wish all discussion and media attention shut down.

JackieDaws · 11/02/2023 11:57

confounded234 · 11/02/2023 11:21

Given the profound lack of confidence in the police investigation expressed by Paul, I think it’s important that in a democratic society there should be opportunities for the public to express doubts and expose holes in official narratives, so long as nothing libellous is mentioned. If the public can’t do that then we are heading towards authoritarianism where questions official narratives can result in punishment from the state. It’s a slippery slope

🤪🤪🤪🤪

It's just a thread. And this is the funniest excuse I've ever seen to carry on gossiping and rumour-mongering.

justgettingthroughtheday · 11/02/2023 12:05

@ofwarren I was on the thread at the time it was taken down. There was a lot of nastiness between two posters (two who had already been at each other on previous threads) as well as suggestions of specific individuals being involved.
It's a shame as I felt the threads were a useful source of information and place to discuss our concerns about the case. I hope they reinstate the thread and delete the offensive posts

electricmoccasins · 11/02/2023 12:07

confounded234 · 11/02/2023 11:12

There seems to a be a fair amount of confusion now about what happened between 9.10 and when the police were called at around 11. Paul says he went there, started looking with other people then they called the police. The narrative before was that the person who found the phone told s family member who then rang the school at 10.50 who then immediately rang Paul. These 2 accounts don’t sound very compatible

It does work. PA said NB usually returned from the dog walk about 9.45-10.00. He said at 10.15, he wasn’t unduly worried as she might have been chatting to someone. At around 10.30, he decided to call her phone. He phoned her mobile and WhatsApp several times to no answer. He then began to prepare to go out to meet her when his phone rang at 10.50. It was the school saying her phone had been found and her dog loose.

Zosime · 11/02/2023 12:09

What they don’t want is people... throwing hurtful accusations about

Which is exactly what has been happening on these threads. I think mnhq should have been more proactive several threads ago, rather than leaving it up to posters to report speculation and accusations.

Newtonsnipple · 11/02/2023 12:09

justgettingthroughtheday · 11/02/2023 12:05

@ofwarren I was on the thread at the time it was taken down. There was a lot of nastiness between two posters (two who had already been at each other on previous threads) as well as suggestions of specific individuals being involved.
It's a shame as I felt the threads were a useful source of information and place to discuss our concerns about the case. I hope they reinstate the thread and delete the offensive posts

Same.

To be honest the obsessives constantly trying to police ANY discussion around this case seem just as angry and unhinged as the 'I saw his eye twitch at 9.32 pm and that's why he did it' ones.

There are some legitimate fears and sympathy people have for Nicola and her family. There are also legitimate criticisms to be made around some of the police communication/inconsistencies ijn this case, which the public should also be allowed to discuss.

DontGoBreakingMyHeart · 11/02/2023 12:11

It’s high time these threads were removed.

There isn’t actually anything to discuss any more. Any discussion about this is pure gossip and speculation.

And given the family have seemingly started taking part in independent documentaries already, if the police aren’t telling the family anything, then it’s not hard to see why.

ofwarren · 11/02/2023 12:13

DontGoBreakingMyHeart · 11/02/2023 12:11

It’s high time these threads were removed.

There isn’t actually anything to discuss any more. Any discussion about this is pure gossip and speculation.

And given the family have seemingly started taking part in independent documentaries already, if the police aren’t telling the family anything, then it’s not hard to see why.

Nothing to discuss anymore? It's an active case! Of course there are things to discuss.

OP posts:
LadyWiddiothethird · 11/02/2023 12:13

About time they were taken down.Should have been deleted way before now.

plumduck · 11/02/2023 12:15

The police asked for no speculation.

milkyaqua · 11/02/2023 12:16

You don't think 6000 plus posts in these threads alone on the topic is enough? If people are so 'concerned" they can light a candle and say a prayer. It's bullshit. A missing most probably dead woman is not entertainment.

Lavenderzen · 11/02/2023 12:16

Everyone is at liberty to discuss this case. It is all over the news and papers. If you don't like it just walk on by.

PinkTonic · 11/02/2023 12:16

electricmoccasins · 11/02/2023 12:07

It does work. PA said NB usually returned from the dog walk about 9.45-10.00. He said at 10.15, he wasn’t unduly worried as she might have been chatting to someone. At around 10.30, he decided to call her phone. He phoned her mobile and WhatsApp several times to no answer. He then began to prepare to go out to meet her when his phone rang at 10.50. It was the school saying her phone had been found and her dog loose.

30-45 mins seems very quick to be checking someone’s whereabouts and preparing to go out looking for them doesn’t it?

Anyway, I think discussion and conjecture is a natural human response and the number of members who now seem to think it’s appropriate to police the threads expressing disgust, reporting everything they disapprove of and getting their own way is far more concerning than the ones who maybe cross a line now and again. Just delete those.

WhoNeedsSleepNotISaidMyBody · 11/02/2023 12:17

ofwarren · 11/02/2023 10:06

@mumsnet if you are deleting whole threads because some people start accusing family members, it will mean that any discussion of the case gets pulled by derailers who don't want us to talk about it. All they have to do is post "x person done it" and they can effectively get the whole thread removed.
How is that fair?
Delete the individual posts, not the whole thing!

@MNHQ

Totally agree with this. Certain people are detailing the threads on purpose to get the threads pulled.

other than them the threads are respectful, abiding by what the family have asked for & your guidelines.

can
you please just delete their disruptive posts & not delete ehi threads.

please.