An independent review has concluded that police failures in investigating the death of 21-year-old showjumper Katie Simpson reflected institutional misogyny within the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI). The report, published on Tuesday, found that officers missed clear signs that her death in August 2020 was not suicide but the result of grooming and abuse by violent predator Jonathan Creswell.
Creswell, a showjumping trainer who had been dating Simpson's sister, masked his abusive behaviour behind a charming facade, according to the review led by Dr Jan Melia. Despite 37 people later coming forward to report abuse by Creswell, police initially accepted his claim that Simpson had taken her own life. 'Katie's lived experience was disregarded, clear warning signs were ignored, established protocols were treated as optional/discretionary, and police chose to privilege Creswell's account,' the report stated.
The review found that police inaction rendered Simpson 'invisible in her own murder,' allowing Creswell to maintain control even after death. Creswell was arrested on suspicion of murder in March 2021 and took his own life in April 2024 after the first day of his trial. Northern Ireland's Justice Minister, Naomi Long, told the Stormont assembly that investigative practices and mindsets must change, emphasising the need to recognise the gravity of coercive control.
Assistant Chief Constable Davy Beck acknowledged the failings, saying, 'Patterns of coercive control were not sufficiently understood or challenged... we fell short, and for that I am truly sorry.' The review also criticised language used by officers, noting that references to Creswell as a 'bad boy' trivialised male aggression and undermined female victims. It made 16 recommendations, mostly focused on police training and culture.
The Simpson family's solicitor, Kevin Winters, welcomed the report's highlighting of misogyny, stating, 'The family feel very, very strongly about that.' Simpson's mother, Noeleen Mullan, said it was hard to read the report and that police had shown her daughter a lack of care.
