Former CEO of Women’s Aid Federation NI to lead review into Jonathan Cresswell case

The former CEO of Women’s Aid Federation NI will head up the review into the case of Jonathan Cresswell who died while on trial for the murder of showjumper Katie Simpson.

The terms of reference for an independent review into the Jonathan Creswell case, have been published by the Justice Minister Naomi Long.

With over 30 years’ experience working with victims and survivors of domestic and sexual abuse, Jan Melia, a current Domestic Homicide Review Chairperson, has been announced as the Independent Reviewer.

The Minister said: “Today as I announce more information into this bespoke review, my thoughts are very much with the family of Katie Simpson indeed, all of Jonathan Creswell’s victims. Tragically we cannot turn back the hands of time but what we can do is learn lessons from the past so that they are not repeated in the future.

“Katie’s family will very much be at the centre of this review, which is not about apportioning blame to any organisation - but constructive engagement and a learning-based approach. It is crucial the focus is on collective, system-wide learning.”

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Jonathan Creswell was arrested in March 2021 in connection with the rape and murder of Katie Simpson in August 2020. Ms Simpson, 21, who was from Tynan, Co Armagh, died in Altnagelvin Hospital almost a week after the incident in Lettershandoney. Creswell was subsequently charged and, while the criminal trial was ongoing, was found dead at his home in April 2024.

The Minister has also contacted key agencies - the PSNI, Probation Board NI (PBNI), Northern Ireland Prison Service (NIPS) and the Western Health and Social Care Trust (WH&SCT) - seeking their full support for the review.