Confidence in Policing Severely Undermined by Katie Simpson Case Review
Confidence in policing has been shaken "to its very foundations" following the publication of a review into the handling of Katie Simpson's murder, according to Paul Frew, chairman of Stormont's justice committee.
The review, released on Tuesday, identified "institutional misogyny" and "systemic failures" within the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) during the investigation into Katie's death.
Katie Simpson, a 21-year-old showjumper, died in 2020, with her death initially classified as suicide.
Jonathan Creswell, a showjumping trainer and partner of Katie's sister, was subsequently charged with her murder. He died by suicide one day after the trial commenced in 2024.
The PSNI issued an apology to Katie's family and acknowledged the findings of the review.
Justice Committee Chairman Reacts to Review Findings
Paul Frew, who serves as a DUP MLA and chairs Stormont's justice committee, described the review as "horrific reading."
"I spent last night reading it. I didn't get much sleep because of the content within it. It is absolutely astounding," he told Good Morning Ulster.
"So many people have been failed here. They believed this monster even though he had been convicted years before to a six-month prison sentence for bodily harm. It's astounding."
The review concluded that police failed to seriously consider evidence of abuse or coercive control during the investigation, instead prioritising Creswell's narrative.
Warning signs were overlooked, and Katie's lived experience was disregarded throughout the process.
Frew called for enhanced safeguarding measures, increased accountability within the PSNI, and full implementation of coercive control legislation to prevent similar failures in the future.
"Six officers were found to have conducted misconduct," he said.
"Two, I think, were allowed to retire. Only one received a written warning. We can't abide by that."
He emphasized that public confidence in the PSNI will need to be rebuilt.
PSNI Acknowledges Failings
PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Davy Beck stated that the force's failings were evident and that it did not meet the expected standards.
The review found that Katie was "let down at every step," highlighting shortcomings not only in policing but also in social services, health services, and safeguarding within the equestrian community.
Justice Minister Highlights Multiple Agency Failures
Justice Minister Naomi Long told the BBC that earlier intervention across various agencies could have prevented much of the harm suffered by Katie.
"There has been a focus, quite rightly, on failures of the PSNI in terms of the investigation of Katie's death and the time following that," she said.
"But there were many and multiple failures by a number of agencies. It would be a failure of this report if the only learning taken from it was from the PSNI."
Urgent Cultural Change Needed Within PSNI
The report, led by Dr Jan Melia, called for urgent cultural change within the PSNI and warned that misogyny within policing increases risks to women.
It also revealed that 37 other victims, including children, later came forward alleging abuse by Creswell.
"I welcome the fact that the Chief Constable is being proactive about addressing it," Long said.
"Let's be clear, we need to know as women that when we go to the PSNI to report serious crime or when we are in danger, that they take those concerns seriously.
"And that they are conscious of the innate bias that there will be within an organisation that is predominantly male."
Victims Commissioner Expresses Profound Concern
Geraldine Hanna, victims of crime commissioner, expressed being "profoundly concerned" about the review's findings.
"What I find especially troubling though is that since Katie's death we've seen domestic homicide reviews in Northern Ireland continuing to highlight many of the same things," she said.
"So that suggests to me that we're not learning lessons quickly enough or consistently enough."
