Northern Ireland

Katie Simpson: PSNI reviewing three cases recorded as suicide following death of Co Armagh showjumper

A Police Ombudsman investigation earlier this week found the PSNI probe into Ms Simpson’s death was ‘flawed’

Undated family handout photo issued by KRW Law of Katie Simpson at a family birthday party. The initial police investigation into the death of Katie was “flawed”, a police watchdog review has concluded. The Police Ombudsman investigation also found it had “failed” Ms Simpson’s family. The 21-year-old from Tynan, Co Armagh, died in Altnagelvin Area Hospital almost a week after an incident in Gortnessy Meadows, Lettershandoney, on August 3 2020. Police originally thought she had taken her own life. Issue date: Tuesday November 12, 2024.
Katie Simpson died in hospital six days after she was assaulted in August 2020 (Family handout/PA)
By Suzanne McGonagle

The PSNI is reviewing three cases recorded as suicide, following the death of Co Armagh showjumper Katie Simpson.

A Police Ombudsman investigation into the death of the 21-year-old this week found the PSNI probe was “flawed” and had “failed” her family.

Ms Simpson, from Tynan, died in hospital six days after she was assaulted at her home near Derry in August 2020.

Her death was wrongly treated by police as a suicide before a murder investigation was later launched.

The man accused of killing her, Jonathan Creswell, the partner of Ms Simpson’s sister, took his own life on the second day of his trial in April.

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Katie Simpson murder- Derry no5-2/5/2024- Trevor McBride picture© Chief Constable has told Policing Board officers commited misconduct in case. ( pictured at court-22/4/2024 ) horse trainer Jonathan Cresswell(35) who was charged with the murder of show jumper Katie Simpson in 2020-pictured at court in Derry prior to proceedings in Coleraine. he was found dead at his home after first day of court. mandatory picture credit
Jonathan Creswell. PICTURE: TREVOR MCBRIDE

The ombudsman report concluded that the police investigation was hindered by the “misleading working assumption adopted by a number of officers that Katie’s injuries were self inflicted”.

Among the failings identified by the ombudsman was a failure to gather physical evidence from Ms Simpson, including photographs of her injuries.

The ombudsman also found the police investigation, which straddled three departments, “was affected by insufficient oversight and guidance”.

It has now emerged that police will review another three cases recorded as suicide.

In a statement to BBC News NI, a police spokesperson said: “Following the Katie Simpson case, the Police Service of Northern Ireland is reviewing three cases recorded as suicide”.

Nuala McAllister, an Alliance Party member of the Policing Board, also confirmed she had privately given the PSNI chief constable a list of deaths she believed needed to be examined further.

The names were given to the MLA by both individual police officers and family members.

She said that “moving forward this is a much wider issue, we need to have total confidence in the PSNI”.