A victim of Jonathan Creswell who reported him to police for indecent exposure and warned he was dangerous, has challenged remarks made by Chief Constable Jon Boucher who contended no-one spoke up about his behaviour.
In addition, she was shocked to hear her experience described in a court report of the Katie Simpson murder investigation, despite being told her case was closed in 2017 because Creswell couldn’t be located.
The victim and her partner – who we are calling Sarah and Ian – worked with Creswell at stables in County Antrim from September 2015 but were forced to leave just months later due to his behaviour.
Sarah explained: “Everyone treated him like King Johnny. He was arrogant and egotistical. His partner Christina Simpson (Katie’s sister) was sometimes there too. Ian and I avoided him and weren’t part of his circle.”
Within their first week Creswell began telling Sarah about his previous convictions.
“I now know these related to Abi Lyle but I’ve never met her. He boasted about being in prison for ‘knocking the s**t’ out of his last girlfriend. He claimed a big deal was made about him threatening to put her in a bath of bleach but said, ‘Why would I waste money on bleach when I could just drown her in the water?’ He laughed at police because he got away with things. He had absolutely no concerns about police and seemed untouchable.”
Sarah detailed very specific and horrifying aspects of the attack on Abi, which were never fully disclosed in court and remain known only to a limited few, obviously one of whom was Creswell.
“He was proud of what he did and enjoyed talking about it. He used very derogatory language about the girl.”
Chillingly, Sarah recalled Creswell stating: “The only mistake I made was not finishing the bitch off.”
The following month Sarah was walking across the stable yard when Creswell called her name and exposed himself, asking: “Do you want me to show you what to do with this?”
Disgusted, Sarah informed the stable owner who shook his head, tutted and said “we can’t have that” but nothing was done.
She also told Ian who confronted Creswell, recording the interaction on his phone.
Furious at being challenged, Creswell threatened to “snap Ian’s neck and break his back”.
He also shouted: “Your c**t of a girlfriend will get what’s coming to her”.
Sarah said: “Afterwards, the entire yard turned against us. We were completely ostracised. The power he held was fuelled by those obsessed with him.”
With the working environment so toxic, Sarah and Ian felt they had to leave.
“We had nothing and no jobs to go to, but it was that or suffer Creswell’s wrath. We certainly weren’t going to fall in line with his supporters. It was a horrible situation.”
In January 2016 the couple decided to go to police.
“It was pointless trying to report it at the time. We were terrified by Creswell’s behaviour and no-one would support us. But once we got away and settled into new work, we had time to think. We knew Creswell had at least one previous victim and we were certain there could be more. If only to try to prevent that, we went to police. I warned them he was dangerous.”
They made statements and Ian handed over his phone containing the recording, but Creswell would never be apprehended and the case closed in 2017.
Four years later, and completely unexpectedly, a PSNI officer contacted Sarah to say Creswell had been charged with Katie’s murder and her statement may now be required.
“We were confused and angry. How were police using my statement from a case which was closed years beforehand without any prosecution?”
This would be compounded when elements of Sarah’s statement were disclosed in court and while her name wasn’t used, she vividly recalled her own words.
Against the background of Creswell being charged with Katie’s murder, and the sudden flurry of no-warning activity, Sarah complained to the Police Ombudsman.
This meant her case stayed under review until September 2016 when a file was sent to the PPS who directed no prosecution.
Creswell had been circulated as wanted for interview and PSNI conducted in-person enquiries with his associates, but it was believed he had fled to the Republic of Ireland.
Somehow a step ahead, he and Christina had begun working at stables in Donegal, but no-one connected to him seemed to know his whereabouts.
Around this time, Katie – aged 16 – was sent to work for Creswell and Christina – who was now pregnant with his child – in Donegal.
However, with little known about the extent of these enquiries, it’s unclear if they stretched to Christina as his partner.
It’s understood alerts on police systems remain live until the individual is detected but it seems this wasn’t the position with Creswell, given when concerns were raised about Katie the day after she was admitted to hospital, there was nothing on file.
It’s unclear if the alert was removed, rescinded or “not showing”, similar to Creswell’s convictions for serious violence against Ms Lyle.
Reports to police over the week Katie fought for her life also mysteriously disappeared.
Sarah and Ian’s story adds to an emerging theme of Creswell managing to evade prosecution and act with impunity.
They also dispute claims that “no-one put their hand up” about Creswell because, “we did and it achieved nothing. It’s not for victims to hunt down perpetrators or solve crime. We aren’t convinced by claims of extensive efforts made to trace Creswell”.
The PSNI were asked why Sarah’s statement, alongside the previous convictions, did not point to Creswell being a potentially dangerous, high-risk offender; why her statement was used without her knowledge in Katie’s case; why Ian’s phone containing the recording wasn’t returned when the case closed and if the Chief Constable now accepts the couple did “put their hands up” about Creswell’s behaviour.
Responses were repeatedly delayed, but on the day of final cut-off, matters took a strange twist.
Shortly before 8.30am on September 11, the PSNI contacted press enquiring if the victims consented to the release of information, which was confirmed.
But that afternoon, in an unprecedented move, the senior investigating officer in Katie’s murder contacted Sarah.
“He didn’t know my case was closed in 2017. He then said the media were going to publish an article about my case which I was fully aware of, considering I came forward with my story. I really don’t understand the purpose of his call. It unsettled me.”
The PSNI were asked why this call was made and if there is a policy around contacting victims who have chosen to speak out.
A spokesperson confirmed Sarah and Ian reported Creswell, who was sought for interview, but, “his location could not be confirmed. It was believed he may have been in the Republic of Ireland. A file was submitted to the PPS in 2016. Further comment cannot be made on that. The PSNI records of previous offending is the subject of a PONI investigation, and it would be inappropriate to comment.
“The PSNI has apologised for failings in the investigation into Katie Simpson’s death and is committed to learning from the shortcomings which took place.”
The issue around the officer’s call to Sarah was not addressed, however, the Chief Constable’s office has been informed.
