PSNI failings in Katie Simpson murder probe branded ‘profound’ amid misogyny claims

The 200-page report, published yesterday, disclosed that 37 further victims – including a nine-year-old girl – have come forward alleging abuse by Jonathan Creswell, who had been accused of murdering the 21-year-old.

Commissioned by Stormont’s Department of Justice, the review’s author, Jan Melia, said police had also identified two “potential offenders” within Northern Ireland’s equestrian sector in the course of her work.

Ms Simpson, from the village of Tynan near Armagh, died at Altnagelvin Area Hospital almost a week after an incident at Gortnessy Meadows, Lettershandoney, on August 3, 2020. Her death was initially treated by police as a suicide, despite repeated warnings that were not acted upon.

Creswell, 36, who had been in a relationship with Simpson’s sister, was not arrested on suspicion of murder until the following year. He was found dead at his home in Greysteel, Co Derry, on the second day of his trial in April.

The review found that Simpson’s death exposed “systemic failures” in policing and safeguarding. Calling for a “sea change”, Melia wrote: “Katie was let down at every step. Police inaction rendered her invisible in her own murder, allowing Creswell to maintain control even after death.

“His presence in Altnagelvin as she lay dying, and at her wake and funeral [was] diabolical.”

A timeline of the initial inquiry points to significant shortcomings, including an “incredibly short” walkthrough of the property by junior officers and a failure to properly examine Creswell’s previous convictions. In 2010, he had been jailed for a series of assaults on a former partner, Abi Lyle.

“From the outset, the police investigation was shaped not by professional curiosity or care, but premature assumptions and complacency,” the report stated. “This dominant narrative constructed by Jonathan Creswell was accepted without challenge, while Katie’s lived experience was erased from the inquiry.”

The report emphasised that the shortcomings were systemic rather than attributable to a single officer or decision. “This review concludes that the PSNI investigation was a profound failure, characterised by missed red flags, weak leadership, weak decision making and a culture of misogyny and complacency that marginalised Katie Simpson.

“These same characteristics were identified as part of the Angiolini review into the murder of Sarah Everard.”

The review also delivered a stark assessment of safeguarding within Northern Ireland’s equestrian sector, where many establishments were found to be unregulated. Creswell’s employment as a jockey and trainer had not been vetted and was subject to no formal oversight.

“Unlike Pony Club, Horse Sport Ireland, or British Horse Society affiliated establishments, which require formal safeguarding protocols and Access NI checks, Jonathan Creswell’s employment was never vetted, and he was never subject to oversight, or accountability.”

Investigators also identified concerns about possible links to other offenders. “It has also become apparent that there may be known individuals currently operating within the equestrian world,” the report noted, adding that police inquiries into these matters were ongoing.

The report makes 16 recommendations, concluding: “Her death and investigation that followed must serve as a catalyst for reform. A change in mindset is required.”