Jury told that 21-year-old Katie Simpson was murdered due to 'jealousy'

A jury has been told that 21-year-old Katie Simpson was murdered due to 'jealousy' after Jonathan James Cresswell discovered she was in a relationship with someone else.

Prosecution counsel Sam Magee KC was opening the case against Cresswell (36) of Briar Hill Gardens in Greysteel who is accused of Katie Simpson's murder on August 9, 2020 and one charge of rape on a date between August 2 and August 4, 2020.

The trial is being held at Derry Crown Court sitting in Coleraine and Mr Magee was outlining the prosecution case.

He said that the prosecution would maintain Cresswell had 'strangled and killed' Katie Simpson with whom he had previously had sexual relations with.

The jury was told that it would be argued that the crime was carried out 'out of jealousy' after he discovered that the deceased had 'embarked on a sexual relationship' with someone else.

Mr Magee said that Cresswell had then sought to 'cover up' what had happened by making it appear like a suicide.

He said that Cresswell was the last person to see Katie Simpson alive. 

The jury heard that the prosecution would maintain that Cresswell had covered up the murder by making it appear that the deceased woman had been found hanging in a stairwell.

The prosecution barrister said that Cresswell pretended he was 'the unfortunate individual' who had discovered the body.

Mr Magee said that the prosecution would maintain that Cresswell was the individual who had taken Katie Simpson's life in 'a violent rage'.

The jury was told that the deceased was in the early stages of a new relationship and was 'terrified' that Cresswell would find out about the new partner. 

The jury in the trial of Jonathan Cresswell for the murder of Katie Simpson also has been told of a series of text messages in which the deceased worried that if the defendant discovered her new relationship 'he will go crazy'.

The prosecution was outlining the case against Cresswell and the jury was given telephone logs relating to messages between the defendant, the deceased and the new man in her life. 

Sam Magee KC said that Katie Simpson deleted messages from her phone so that Cresswell would not see them. 

He said that on the Saturday night after Katie Simpson had spent the night with her new partner they were worried that another member of the equestrian set had seen the man in the morning and told Cresswell. 

The prosecutor said that both Katie Simpson and the man were 'becoming increasingly concerned' that Cresswell would find out they had been together. 

He added Katie Simpson had 'every reason to worry'. 

The jury heard then that later on the evening there were a series of text messages from the man to Katie Simpson that went unanswered. 

The court heard that phone evidence put Cresswell along with the deceased after Katie Simpson had taken part in a horse show. 

Mr Magee said that a 'pivotal message' was sent by the other man in which he said he had not driven an hour and a half 'just to sleep with you.' 

He said this message 'confirmed Jonathan Cresswell' s worst fears' that the deceased had slept with another man. 

The prosecution said that by this stage Cresswell had control of Katie Simpson's phone. Mr Magee said that after Cresswell would have seen the message 'Katie Simpson's fate was sealed'. He told the jury that Cresswell had killed her in 'pure rage and jealousy.' 

The trial continues.