Officers face discipline over Simpson murder inquiry

Katie Simpson died following an incident in a home in August 2020

Three police officers are facing misconduct proceedings over the investigation into the murder of Katie Simpson, the Policing Board has been told.

It follows an inquiry by the Police Ombudsman.

Chief constable Jon Boutcher said that officers were "not professionally curious enough" when she was first admitted to hospital in 2020. Ms Simpson's murder was originally thought by police to have been a suicide.

Speaking at a Policing Board meeting on Wednesday, the chief constable also commented on officers who were filmed in police vehicles taking part in GAA celebrations in Camlough, saying they did not act "professionally or independently”.

Jon Boutcher said there were "a number of shortcomings in our initial investigation"

On the Katie Simpson case, Mr Boutcher said police systems "failed to identify" the previous offending of Jonathan Creswell, who was later charged with Katie Simpson's rape and murder.

The trial ended abruptly when the defendant was found dead.

"There are a number of shortcomings in our initial investigation," Mr Boutcher said.

"I cannot apologise enough to the (Simpson) family for the delay in getting the right response."

For a number of months, the PSNI did not treat her death as suspicious.

Jon Boutcher said that chief inspector John Caldwell was not among the officers facing misconduct proceedings

Mr Boutcher also defended detective chief inspector John Caldwell, who, it has been claimed, was resistant to investigating her death.

Allegations were raised in a recent BBC Spotlight programme.

The chief constable said: "The programme was disparaging, in my view, and damaging to his professional reputation and in turn public confidence in the police.

"John is not subject to misconduct proceedings.

"He did not conduct the role of senior investigating officer at any stage in relation to this case.

"In my view, probably, the primary reason for attention on Mr Caldwell is because he is a known public figure for very sad and tragic reasons."

Mr Caldwell survived a gun attack claimed by the dissident republican New IRA in February 2023.

Mr Boutcher added: "It is unfortunate this issue has distracted from the tragic death of Katie and the important lessons that will be learned by the police."

GAA celebrations 'not professional'

Mr Boutcher also spoke about the PSNI officers who took part in GAA celebrations in Camlough.

It comes after videos emerged of officers taking part in celebrations following Armagh's All-Ireland Senior Football Championship final victory over Galway on Sunday.

The footage appeared to show officers in police vehicles waving flags and sounding their sirens.

The chief constable said the officers did not act "professionally or independently”.

He said he did not support their actions and described their driving “at best irresponsible”.

An internal investigation is under way.

Mr Boutcher said no-one was being sacked, suspended or relocated.

Mr Boutcher said it was not lost on him that the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) had posted on its Armagh social media channels "rightly congratulating Armagh on winning the All-Ireland final", accompanied by details of the force's Fatal Five road safety messaging, reminding drivers to stay safe.

"Later that evening, police vehicles were seen being driven in Camlough in a manner which was irresponsible," he said.

"I, of course, understand the sentiment of what those police officers were seeking to do in supporting the local community in Armagh’s brilliant win.

"But there are many other ways to show that support, driving in that manner is not one of them."

Mr Boutcher added that he had received phone calls both condemning and supporting the officers' actions.

He said that an internal investigation had been launched "which will be proportionate and will not be unduly influenced by anyone".

'Disgraceful display'

Several unionist politicians had questioned the actions of the PSNI officers involved and on Monday members of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) met with PSNI officials to raise their concerns.

The party's policing spokesperson, Trevor Clarke MLA, said after the meeting: "We’re very careful to just make our point today in terms of the erratic driving, the manner in which the police officer drove the car around and around the roundabout and enjoyed the triumphalism of the celebration of the football.

"We’re actually allowing the police to investigate this in such a manner and come to their own conclusions, giving everyone involved a fair hearing, and let them go through the process."

TUV leader Jim Allister said he would be contacting the police ombudsman, Northern Ireland's police watchdog, and the chief constable following a "disgraceful display by officers in a marked PSNI car tonight in Camlough".

"They can be seen driving through the village waving GAA flags in a fashion which could best be described as joyriding while using the siren improperly," the North Antrim MP continued.

The Sinn Féin infrastructure minister John O'Dowd said that criticism had been "blown out of all proportion".

Mr O'Dowd said: "That PSNI officer [has] done more for community relations with the nationalist and republican community than any glossy brochure or any glossy recruiting campaign would have ever done".