The PSNI has admitted it “must and will do better” after the Police Ombudsman found the force “failed” the family of showjumper Katie Simpson with a “flawed” investigation.
Ms Simpson died in hospital six days after she was assaulted at her home near Derry in August 2020.
Her death was wrongly treated by police as a suicide before a murder investigation was later launched.
The man accused of killing her, Jonathan Creswell, the partner of Ms Simpson’s sister, took his own life on the second day of his trial in April.
In the report, which was not made available in full to the media or public, the ombudsman confirmed that from an early phase of their investigation police knew Creswell had been convicted for assaulting a former partner in 2009.
It is also known that journalist Tanya Fowles raised concerns about the case with police, which she says were not taken seriously.
The ombudsman report concludes that the police investigation was hindered by the “misleading working assumption adopted by a number of officers that Katie’s injuries were self-inflicted”.
Among the many failings identified by the ombudsman was that police did not to gather physical evidence from Ms Simpson, including photographs of her injuries.
The ombudsman also concludes that the police investigation, which straddled three departments, “was affected by insufficient oversight and guidance”.
The ombudsman has identified breaches of the PSNI code of ethics in respect of professional duty, the conduct of police investigators and the duty of supervisors.
It has been confirmed that disciplinary recommendations have been made to the PSNI in respect of six officers.
Proceedings were unable to be taken in respect of two officers who have retired while in the case of one officer no misconduct was proven.
One officer has received a written warning while another received action aimed at improving performance.
Another officer received management advice.
Three policy recommendations have also been made by the ombudsman, including that a detective sergeant attend when someone suffers life threatening injuries.
This was not accepted by the PSNI on the basis it was not proportionate.
The Police Ombudsman considered four different complaints in its report, although since its completion three more have received, with one later closed.
The ombudsman has said one of the new complaints, which is linked to the original investigation, includes allegations that might amount to criminal wrongdoing.
The report also revealed that new information has come to light in recent months that requires the ombudsman to “conduct a further investigation” into a key element of their findings.
Ms Simpson’s mother Noleen Mullan was disappointed by the report.
“The people who are responsible for what’s happened here from the start are nowhere to be seen,” she said.
“And it leaves you feeling empty. There’s been no achievement made, for me. I wanted them to be made accountable but I don’t think they ever will be.”
Solicitor Kevin Winters of KRW Law, who represents the Simpson family, suggested there was little new in the ombudsman report.
“It’s very good on what the family know but not so good on what the family want to know,” he said.
He said the family “perceive a lack of accountability at more senior level within policing” and feel that in relation to disciplinary and misconduct proceedings “there was very much a light touch”.
Assistant Chief Constable Davy Beck said there were “shortcomings in various stages of the investigation into Katie’s death and I unreservedly apologise for this”.
“It is clear that we were not rigorous enough in our pursuit of all potential lines of enquiry and did not act quickly enough in responding to some of the concerns that were raised around Katie’s death,” he said.
“We relied too much on the lack of any presenting medical evidence around what had happened to Katie when she was first admitted to hospital and on the forensic post mortem that was conducted on August 11, 2020.
“Our systems failed to identify Creswell’s previous related, serious offending.
“We acknowledge this and reaffirm our position that we must and will do better, moving forward.”
At a brief hearing at Laganside Courthouse on Tuesday, coroner Joe McCrisken was updated on preparations for the inquest, including the process of disclosure of material by the PSNI and Police Ombudsman.
The next review hearing will be held on January 21.
