The head of the PSNI, Jon Boutcher, has revealed to the Policing Board that police officers were guilty of misconduct during the initial investigation into the murder of horse rider Katie Simpson in 2020. The police had originally assumed that the death had been a suicide. The Service has received a 1,400-page report from the Police Ombudsman which found that the misconduct was not “gross or criminal”. Boutcher stated that there has been a disciplinary process initiated within the PSNI as a result. Simpson died in August 2020.
Jonathan Cresswell had been on trial for Simpson’s murder but proceedings ended after he was discovered dead last week. He had been the last person to see Simpson alive on the day she died.
Boutcher acknowledged that the case has had a profound impact on relations between the Service and Simpson’s family. The PSNI has made a public apology to Simpson’s family.
The case has had an ongoing impact on the public perception of the Service in Northern Ireland, with some commentators stating that the disclosure of police misconduct is necessary for future progress. It remains to be seen whether the disciplinary process within the Police Service of Northern Ireland will lead to any further action
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