Police in Northern Ireland have apologised to the family of a murdered showjumper after a watchdog found their initial investigation had “failed” them.
Officers originally believed 21-year-old Katie Simpson had tried to take her own life after an incident in the village of Lettershandoney, Co Londonderry on 3 August 2020.
Ms Simpson, from Tynan, Co Armagh, died a week later in hospital.
It was not until March 2021 that Jonathan Creswell, the partner of Ms Simpson’s sister, was arrested on suspicion of murder.
The trial of Creswell, 36, for the murder of Ms Simpson ended in April following his sudden death.
Now, a Police Ombudsman probe concluded the investigation was hindered by a misleading working assumption adopted by several officers that Ms Simpson’s injuries were self-inflicted.
They criticised a “lack of investigative mindset” taking into account police had received intelligence Ms Simpson may have been the victim of controlling behaviours, that the attempted suicide was suspicious, and medics had also expressed concerns about the circumstances of her injuries.
Police Ombudsman chief executive Hugh Hume said although this intelligence was viewed and logged by police, it “did not change the direction of the police investigation”.
Police also knew in the early phase of the investigation that Creswell had been convicted for assaulting his former partner in 2009.
Ms Simpson’s mother Noleen Mullan said the family felt “empty” and nothing had been achieved after reading the report.
She has called for more accountability among the senior ranks of police.
The investigation also found there were no effective searches carried out at Ms Simpson’s address and no supervisory officer attended the house at the initial stages of the probe.
Among the other investigative failings identified by the Ombudsman was the lack of consideration given to gathering potential physical evidence from Ms Simpson herself, including blood samples and photographs of her injuries, despite police being aware at an early stage that she was unlikely to survive.
Police also did not take action to locate Ms Simpson’s mobile phone, which was found hidden in a field after Creswell’s arrest.
Assistant chief constable Davy Beck apologised on behalf of the PSNI following the release of the report and acknowledged there were “shortcomings in various stages of the investigation into Katie’s death”.
“I unreservedly apologise for this,” he said.
The Ombudsman investigation identified breaches of the PSNI code of ethics in respect of professional duty, the conduct of police investigations and the duty of supervisors.
As a result, disciplinary recommendations were made to the PSNI in respect of six police officers. No action was taken against three officers, two of whom had retired and one for whom no misconduct was proven.
One police officer received a written warning, another received action aimed at improving performance and one received management advice.
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The family’s solicitor Kevin Winters described the Ombudsman’s findings as a “stepping stone on what’s still a long, tortuous road to justice for the Simpson family”.
“Today’s findings help provide much-needed answers but equally there are unresolved issues arising from new complaints, one of which involves a serving member of police,” he said.
“As part of the accountability process the family feels strongly about taking legal action and a number of family members have indicated that they want to do that because ultimately they were already deeply traumatised by what happened to Katie and retraumatised by the recorded policy failings, and there has to be accountability for that.”
It is understood the family has submitted further complaints to the Police Ombudsman.
An inquest is also due to be held to examine the circumstances of the death of Ms Simpson.
