A bright, bubbly young woman with a great work ethic and a bright future ahead of her, showjumper Katie Simpson was groomed by horse trainer Jonathan Creswell from the age of 10.<\/p>\n
Her murder has exposed systemic failures in policing and safeguarding practice in Northern Ireland, according to a damning independent report.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe was let down at every step,\u201d it found.<\/p>\n
Sexual abuse and rape were used as a tactic by Creswell to target young women like Simpson. A \u201ccharming facade\u201d was used to hide his abusive behaviour; he exploited his status as a trainer and jockey. <\/p>\n
Initial police failings<\/p>\n
The report found that failure to preserve the crime scene and accepting Creswell\u2019s account of an \u201cattempted suicide\u201d by Simpson were among the litany of police failings at the outset of the investigation.<\/p>\n
Lack of experience among police was also identified; two probationary constables, one of whom was only six days out of training, were among those sent to Simpson\u2019s home on August 3rd, 2020.<\/p>\n
Police body-worn footage shows a \u201cvery quick walk-through\u201d.<\/p>\n
Forensic opportunities in relation to Simpson\u2019s car \u2013 the black Peugeot 307 used by Creswell to remove her from her home \u2013 were missed.<\/p>\n
Underwear worn by Simpson was \u201cclearly bloodstained\u201d but was also missed by police. <\/p>\n
Bruising on her arms and legs was reported by doctors, but an explanation from Cresswell about her falling off a horse the previous day was accepted.<\/p>\n
Communication between medical staff and the hospital was \u201cextremely poor\u201d.<\/p>\n
Cresswell\u2019s previous domestic history of abuse was missed because Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) officers \u201cfailed to check the system properly\u201d. Only his driving offences were found.<\/p>\n
Key witness statements and failure to secure crucial digital communications \u2013 such as text messages and phone records \u2013 that might have revealed patterns of abuse, were also missed.<\/p>\n
\u201cVital information\u201d provided by members of the public and a hospital nurse in the early stages of the investigation was \u201cnot acted upon\u201d.<\/p>\n
Poor communication between police and Simpson\u2019s family \u2013 most notably her parents \u2013 was also found.<\/p>\n
Instead, police only consulted with Creswell and Christina Simpson (Katie\u2019s sister, with whom he was in a relationship) at the hospital. This enabled Creswell to \u201ctake control of the situation\u201d and establish his suicide narrative.<\/p>\n
Institutional misogyny within PSNI<\/p>\n
\u201cInstitutional misogyny\u201d within the PSNI led to \u201cclear warning signs\u201d being missed, the report found.<\/p>\n
Language used by PSNI officers during interviews with the NI Police Ombudsman, in which they refer to Creswell as a \u201cbad boy\u201d or \u201cphilanderer\u201d instead of a violent abuser is cited as examples of misogyny.<\/p>\n
Creswell had six serious assault convictions, which included a six-month jail sentence in 2010 for assaulting his ex-partner, Olympic showjumper Abi Lyle.<\/p>\n
Not one PSNI officer \u201cthought seriously about abuse\/control\u201d at the outset of the investigation in Simpson\u2019s death, the report found.<\/p>\n
Safeguarding failings in NI equestrian sector <\/p>\n
Safeguarding failures within the equestrian sector in Northern Ireland were exposed by Simpson\u2019s death.<\/p>\n
Many of the facilities where Creswell worked as a jockey\/trainer were entirely unregulated.<\/p>\n
Equestrian sports are overwhelmingly populated by young girls.<\/p>\n
When he came out of prison in 2010, Creswell was able \u201cto pick up where he left off, continuing to work with children and others without challenge\u201d.<\/p>\n
The absence of oversight that allowed him to exploit the equestrian community as his \u201chunting ground\u201d must be tackled, according to the report.<\/p>\n
More of Creswell\u2019s victims have come forward \u2013 including children<\/p>\n
SinceSimpson\u2019s death, 37 other victims have come forward to disclose abuse by Creswell.<\/p>\n
Some involve allegations of sexual and physical abuse.<\/p>\n
The youngest case relates to a nine-year-old girl.<\/p>\n
Of the 37 reports, 31 relate to females and six to males.<\/p>\n
Many of the victims were just starting off in the equestrian world.<\/p>\n