The Police Ombudsman has concluded that a Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) investigation into a 2016 indecent exposure allegation against Jonathan Creswell was inadequate and failed the woman who reported it. Creswell died in 2024 while on trial for the rape and murder of Katie Simpson.

A woman later complained to the Ombudsman about the way police handled her report, made in January 2016, that Creswell had exposed himself to her at a horse yard in County Antrim the previous October.

The Police Ombudsman's Director of Investigations, Nikki Davis, said: "Police failed the complainant, both as a woman and as a victim.

"Indecent exposure is a serious crime and can indicate a potential for escalating sexual offending, so it is important that reports are robustly investigated.

"We also know that sexual crime is under-reported, and that it takes great courage for victims to go to the police.

"Unless reports of sexual offences are properly investigated, victims will be less likely to come forward, offenders will remain free to reoffend, and efforts to combat violence and sexual offending against women and girls will be undermined."

Investigators identified a series of failings. The first officer assigned to the case recorded only one witness statement in four months. No statements were taken from three other witnesses, including a potential eyewitness. When the case was reallocated five months after the original report, the second officer obtained no further statements, and neither officer listened to a recording of an allegedly threatening voicemail said to have been sent by Creswell.

The file sent by the second officer to the Public Prosecution Service for Northern Ireland (PPS) was also inaccurate. It stated Creswell was known to police only for motoring offences, despite him having previously been jailed for violent offending against a woman, and incorrectly claimed there was no outstanding evidence and no other witnesses. The PPS later directed that there was insufficient evidence to prosecute but advised the file could be resubmitted if Creswell was interviewed about the allegation in future.

When interviewed by the Ombudsman's team, the first officer said she would have gathered the outstanding witness statements had she retained ownership of the investigation. The second officer said he had not been instructed to obtain additional evidence, believed his role was primarily to monitor the case, and did not consider Creswell's prior violent offending relevant.

"The officer failed to provide the PPS with important information concerning Creswell's prior convictions for violent offending," said Mrs Davis.

"Indecent exposure is a non-contact sexual offence and a form of sexual violence, so the prior conviction was entirely relevant and should have been disclosed to the PPS. "It is widely acknowledged that police should be looking at behavioural patterns across incidents and seeking to identify where repeat offending might indicate escalating risk. That clearly did not happen in this case."

The Ombudsman also found inadequate efforts to locate and interview Creswell. Officers made no checks on vehicles linked to him or on a mobile number believed to be his. Although police received information that he might be living in County Donegal and travelling regularly to Northern Ireland, they did not contact An Garda Síochána for assistance. The complainant was also not kept adequately updated about progress. The investigation noted, however, that officers had tried to reach Creswell by phone, visited an address linked to him, made enquiries relating to his equestrian background and placed alerts on two vehicles.

In a misconduct file to the PSNI, the Ombudsman recommended both officers be disciplined for failing to properly investigate and for not providing sufficient updates to the complainant. After reviewing the file, the PSNI decided the issues would be better addressed through measures aimed at improving the officers' conduct.

Investigators were unable to complete enquiries into a separate allegation involving another officer who retired during the process. The complainant believed this officer attempted to stop her speaking to the media. Before retiring, the officer stated he had called to advise of the intended police response to a media query and how information about the case could be reported and used. Although the Ombudsman initially closed the complaint, it was reopened following further correspondence from the complainant.

Those affected by the publication of the investigation are encouraged to seek support from Victim Support NI. Services are free, confidential and trauma-informed. Contact 02890 243133 (Belfast) or 02871 370086 (Foyle), or visit victimsupportni.com.

Contextual reviews have stressed the importance of recognising patterns of repeat and escalating behaviour across different types of offending, rather than treating incidents in isolation, with better information-sharing across agencies to identify risk sooner.

In 2024, the College of Policing stated: "Indecent exposure is a serious crime which has significant impact on victims. Last year we made it clear that policing will follow all reasonable lines of inquiry. This covers every crime but is particularly relevant to crimes like indecent exposure. Our guidance to officers makes clear the importance of following up any leads which could help us catch the offender. This includes taking a detailed statement, checking if there is CCTV available and looking for forensics. Our new evidence-based approach to sexual offences has a relentless focus on the perpetrator. The College of Policing will ensure all officers are properly trained, skilled and equipped to protect women and girls."