Katie Simpson, a 21-year-old showjumper, died in August 2020 from severe injuries sustained at a home in County Londonderry. Initially, police thought she had taken her own life. This belief stemmed from the account of her brother-in-law and trainer, Jonathan Creswell, who stated he found her hanging from a stairwell.
He told the authorities that Katie had been hurt in a horse-riding accident earlier in the week. However, as investigators dug deeper, they discovered a disturbing reality of control, abuse, and a near-miss murder case.
Channel 4 is taking a new look at the case in The Showjumper Murder, a program detailing how Katie’s death was initially considered a suicide, but later became one of the most investigated and surprising cases in Northern Ireland’s history.
I first heard about Katie through the Irish showjumping scene – she was a really talented rider from Tynan, County Armagh. Everyone who knew her talked about how cheerful and kind she was, and she absolutely loved horses since she was a little kid. It’s just so tragic to hear about someone so passionate and full of life.
She’d grown close to Creswell, who had been with her sister Christina for a long time. When she was discovered, Creswell said he attempted to rescue her and then called emergency services.
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Katie was taken to the hospital after an incident, but remained unconscious and sadly passed away several days later from her injuries. Her family found it difficult to believe authorities had determined her death to be a suicide. Medical professionals also questioned the nature of her injuries, which included internal bleeding.
However, it was public concerns that ultimately brought suspicions back to light, especially given Creswell’s past history of violence towards women – he had previously been imprisoned for attacking a former girlfriend. Detective Sergeant James Brannigan strongly pushed for the case to be reopened and Katie’s death investigated again.
In January 2021, the case was transferred to a police team in Armagh from the Maydown police station in Derry. Two months later, Creswell was accused of raping and murdering Katie Simpson. While reviewing the evidence again, investigators stated that there was no indication Katie had tried to end her own life.
Prosecutors argued that Creswell assaulted and raped the victim, then falsely made it look like a suicide and intentionally waited to call for help. After a lengthy investigation, Creswell was finally put on trial in 2024.
On the first day of the trial, prosecutors stated that Katie had been intentionally killed and the crime scene made to look like something else. But before any witnesses could share their accounts, the trial was stopped when news arrived that Creswell had died by suicide at his home.
Although no one was ever found guilty in connection with Katie’s death, it still had a significant impact. A recent independent investigation revealed that the police force (PSNI) showed “institutional misogyny” while handling the case.
The report found that the first investigation was too quick to conclude the death was a suicide. It highlighted that there was strong evidence suggesting someone else was involved, and that crucial evidence against Creswell wasn’t collected when it should have been.
The investigation revealed that Creswell began manipulating Katie when she was just ten years old, after she started taking riding lessons at a local stable. He subjected her to years of controlling and abusive behavior. In total, 37 other people – including children as young as nine – have also accused Creswell of abuse.
After the case concluded, Detective James Brannigan left the PSNI and, with Katie’s family, founded the Katie Trust. This charity helps families who believe a loved one’s death was incorrectly classified.
The Showjumper Murder airs this Thursday (23 July) at 10pm on 4.
2026-07-23 21:50