Nicola Bulley Peter Faulding

A diving expert who was removed from the National Crime Agency's list of specialists after failing to find missing woman Nicola Bulley in a river has ...

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Mr Faulding's Specialist Group International (SGI) joined the search for Nicola and asserted that she 'was not in that section of the river' three days ...

He also said he refused to be the "fall guy" for the probe. "We weren't searching the reeds, our job was to search the water," he said. [Nicola Bulley](https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/nicola-bulley-tiktok-ghoul-who-26334613?int_source=nba) was made a "scapegoat" and is "one of the world's best", a former police officer has said.

Specialist Group International (SGI), led by Mr Faulding, was suspended this week.

The database is subject to continual review and its purpose is to maintain a list of expertise UK law enforcement can draw upon when required. Most recently, he insisted he had been a “fall guy” in her disappearance. [missing mother Nicola Bulley](/topic/nicola-bulley) has been struck from the [National Crime Agency](/topic/national-crime-agency)’s (NCA) list of experts. Mr Faulding then declared to the press that the 45-year-old was not in the river and suggested her phone, discovered by a dog walker on the bench near where she disappeared, may have been a “decoy”. [Peter Faulding led a team of experts and divers](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/nicola-bulley-location-body-river-wyre-map-b2287010.html) to assist [Lancashire Police in searching the river](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/nicola-bulley-diver-body-river-wyre-peter-faulding-b2285890.html) for the missing dog walker using specialist sonar equipment. [describing the probe as “a mess” ](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/nicola-bulley-forensics-lancashire-police-b2276110.html)and claiming details in the case “don’t add up”.

Mr Faulding said: "SGI's operational ability, integrity and professional search and rescue capabilities are not in question in these matters"

They used "high-frequency side scan sonar" to search the riverbed and "categorically" confirmed Nicola was not there. The 60-year-old denied giving her family "false hope" after insisting multiple times during his search that she was not in the river. "The story pertains to a confidential matter between SGI and the National Crime Agency. A National Crime Agency spokesperson told The Times that it "does not employ, endorse or accredit experts" on its adviser database. Its database covers a broad range of expertise in more than two dozen areas, including psychiatrists, accountants, and forensic artists. Now, law enforcement sources have confirmed that SGI has been suspended while a review is carried out to determine if it should return.

Peter Faulding, from Specialist Group International (SGI), has been defended by a former police detective after drawing criticism over his work on the ...

My team and I at SGI did all we could to assist this family with only our best intentions. Mr Faulding said he refused to be the "fall guy" for the way the operation was handled after making previous comments saying he was “baffled” and stating he did not believe Ms Bulley was in the river. “He & his teams ability is amongst the best in the world to find bodies on land & water. Mr Faulding spent two and a half days scanning a three-mile stretch of the River Wyre between St Michael's and Cartford Bridge after offering to help search for the missing mum-of-two. Peter Faulding, from Specialist Group International (SGI), has been described as “one of the world’s best” after being criticised along with Lancashire Constabulary over Ms Bulley’s disappearance in Lancashire. [missing mum](https://www.dailystar.co.uk/latest/missing-person) Nicola Bulley, 45, has been defended by a former [police officer](https://www.dailystar.co.uk/latest/police) after being made a “scapegoat”.

Nicola Bulley – latest: Diver Peter Faulding 'made a scapegoat', claims ex-police officer - Faulding was recently removed from National Crime Agency's list ...

Underwater search expert Peter Faulding has faced a barrage of criticism from the public after his assertions Nicola Bulley wasn't in the River Wyre after ...

I remain in close contact with the family. The trolls out there - and we need to get a grip of these people - the vile comments against the family, the police, myself, it's no-one's fault. He told GB News: "We spent four hours searching for Nicola in that stretch of the river. Following the tragic developments, Mr Faulding has gone on to defend his comments over Nicola not being in that stretch of river. "He & his teams ability is amongst the best in the world to find bodies on land & water. His team was allegedly dropped from an official list of experts recommended to assist in investigations on the Expert Advisers database.

An inquest has opened into death of the 45-year-old who disappeared on January 27.

Mr Faulding said they did search where the body was found and that they didn't see Nicola "on the days we searched". They used "high-frequency side scan sonar" to search the riverbed and "categorically" confirmed Nicola was not there. "My previous comments said that if Nicola was in the river, I would find her, still standing. "Unfortunately, it was a member of the public that made a grim discovery, unconfirmed as yet to be Nicola. The difference between these two search areas has caused a lot of confusion and unfair criticism towards myself and my team at Specialist Group International (SGI). I am sure I can say this of everyone who has been involved in this difficult search." Having failed to find her body, Mr Faulding explained his £55,000 sonar can only scan the water and cannot travel through reeds. Mr Faulding, 60, had previously denied that he gave the family false hope. The diving team which failed to find Nicola Bulley has reportedly been taken off an expert search group list. Sadly, the discovery was not found in the river but in the reeds at the side of the river which was not part of our remit as the side scan sonar does not penetrate reeds above or below the water." We proactively seek feedback from customers regarding experts’ performance and contribution. His Specialist Group International (SGI) joined the search for 45-year-old Nicola and asserted that she "was not in that section of the river" three days later,