A Police Ombudsman investigation into the death of showjumper Katie Simpson has found the PSNI was “flawed” and “failed” the showjumper’s family.
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.
The ombudsman has now confirmed that from an early phase of their investigation police knew Creswell had been convicted for assaulting a former partner in 2009.
The 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 failings identified by the ombudsman was a failure 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 had retired while in the case of one officer no misconduct was proven.
An officer has received a written warning while another received action aimed at improving performance.
Finally, one 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.
Due to this the ombudsman confirmed it has been unable to sharer “details of a specific element” of their investigation with Ms Simpson’s family, other complainants or place “into the public domain the detail behind the findings which the family have received”.
