Police apologise for ‘flawed’ probe that ‘failed’ family of murdered showjumper
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.
Katie Simpson, 21, was a talented showjumper. Pic: PA
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 family of showjumper Katie Simpson – (left to right) father Jason Simpson, sisters Rebecca and Christine Simpson with mother Noleen Mullan. Pic: PA
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.
PSNI assistant chief constable Davy Beck apologised for the force’s ‘flawed’ investigation into Katie Simpson’s murder. Pic: PA
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.”
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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.
A judo Olympian has said her family is “devastated” after the discovery of body in the search for her missing brother.
Lubjana Piovesana, 28, appealed for help to find her younger sibling, Luis, 26, on Saturday. He had not been seen since the early hours of Friday morning.
A body was found in the River Frome near Napier Road in Eastville, Bristol, at around 6pm today, Avon and Somerset Police said.
Formal identification is yet to take place, the force added.
In a post on Instagram, Ms Piovesana wrote: “Hello everyone, Luis has been found.
“We are completely devastated but he has passed away.
“I am grateful for everyone’s support. And I am so sorry this happened.
“Luis was my little brother and loved by everyone. I wish he could have seen the love from everyone. He will be remembered by us all.”
The post was signed off with a dove emoji.
Luis Piovesana did not have any money or his mobile phone with him when he went missing, police said. Pics: Avon & Somerset Police
Mr Piovesana was last seen at around 3am on Friday at the Eastgate retail park, which is less than a 10-minute walk away from where the body was found.
He had travelled there by taxi from a venue in Little Ann Street, St Jude’s, a 10-minute drive away.
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The 26-year-old’s family spent the weekend searching for him, and asked people to check their sheds and gardens.
His partner, Laurin Bohler, said loved ones had travelled from Birmingham to help.
Mounted officers and police drones were also involved in the investigation.
Ms Piovesana competed for Team GB before switching to the Austrian team, and defeated British competitor Lucy Renshall in the women’s -63kg judo event at the Paris Olympics last year.
A man has been jailed for life for murdering his son’s girlfriend after she returned home from the school run.
Officers from Dyfed-Powys Police were called to an address on Bigyn Road in Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, on 5 July last year.
Sophie Evans, 30, had sustained 72 separate injuries on the outside of the body, “all but three of them new injuries”.
Richard Jones, who is now 50, believed he was “being taken advantage of financially” by Ms Evans and his son, with whom she was in a relationship.
While the purpose of Jones’s visit was “purely normal”, he confronted her on that morning about his suspicions and Ms Evans’s reaction was such that Jones “lost [his] temper”.
He subjected Ms Evans to “gross violence” before ultimately strangling her and leaving the property to run errands, including ordering a new bank card and buying pastries from a bakery.
Richard Jones. Pic: Dyfed-Powys Police
‘Last time on their school run’
During sentencing on Monday, the defendant kept his head bowed for most of the hearing.
He will have to serve at least 20 years behind bars before he can be considered for release by the parole board.
Swansea Crown Court heard Ms Evans was the mother of two young children.
Passing his sentence, Judge Geraint Walters said Ms Evans “had just taken her two children for the last time on their school run” prior to the attack.
“She wasn’t to know that when she parted company with them that morning,” he added.
The court heard the Jones believed he was being defrauded by Ms Evans and his son.
“There is clear evidence, that in the days leading up to this, that you had begun harbouring thoughts that Sophie Evans and your own son were in fact financially scamming you,” he said.
“What precisely brought about that view is difficult to determine.”
Judge Walters said Jones “lost [his] temper when [he] didn’t get the answer that [he] thought [he] deserved”.
He added that, having lost his temper, the defendant “subjected [Ms Evans] to gross violence over a period of time, before you ultimately extinguished her life by strangulation”.
The court was told in evidence that at the time of the attack, Ms Evans was wearing only a bath towel.
‘The rock of our family’
In a victim personal statement, Ms Evans’s sister Kerry Quinlan told the court she was “the rock of our family”.
She said Ms Evans was taken from them in a “senseless and cruel act”.
“Words cannot express fully how much of a loss this has been to her children,” she added.
“When they cry themselves to sleep wanting their mum, she isn’t there and never will be.”
Ms Quinlan added that Jones had “taken everything from us, all in the most despicable way possible”.
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Ms Evans’s partner at the time, and the defendant’s son, Jamie Davies, said in a victim personal statement, read on his behalf, that they had both “trusted” Jones, and that Ms Evans had even been planning the defendant’s 50th birthday.
“The thought of having to live my life without Sophie causes me extreme pain and heartache,” he added.
Prosecuting, Michael Jones KC said the offence was aggravated by the defendant’s previous convictions and the fact Ms Evans was murdered in her home.
In mitigation, David Elias KC said there was a “lack of premeditation”.
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