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'Hidden homicides' charity established to assist families

(L-R) Katie Simpson's aunt Paula Mullan, former PSNI detective James Brannigan and Katie Simpson's aunt Colleen McConville at the launch of The Katie Trust
(L-R) Katie Simpson's aunt Paula Mullan, former PSNI detective James Brannigan and Katie Simpson's aunt Colleen McConville at the launch of The Katie Trust

A charity has been established to help families whose loved ones have died in so called "hidden homicides".

They are cases where people have been found dead and families have suspicions over what exactly happened to them.

It has been established in memory of Katie Simpson, a young showjumper whose sister's boyfriend was on trial for her murder in Co Derry in August 2020.

The murder accused, Jonathan Creswell, who died during the trial, initially claimed she had died after trying to take her own life.

The police treated the case as suicide for months before switching focus to a murder inquiry.

A subsequent police oversight investigation criticised the initial PSNI inquiry which it said had failed the family.

A picture of Katie Simpson, who was murdered in Derry in 2020
Katie Simpson was murdered in Co Derry in August 2020

The Police Ombudsman's Office said there had been multiple concerns raised by friends and family members and some police officers.

Former PSNI officer James Brannigan who had raised concerns about the original Katie Simpson investigation has established the charity.

He said he had experienced obstacles as he tried to investigate the case.

He said his charity would not seek to supplant the role of the police or the police ombudsman.

However, he said he would be able to help families to ask the right questions if they had questions about the death of a loved one.

"It's not rocket science this. It's just asking the basic questions."

The family of Katie Simpson attended the launch of the charity.

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Katie's aunt Paula Mullan said she had phoned the police but was ignored in the time following Katie's death.

She said she hoped that the charity would offer families the kind of support they had been denied.

Mr Brannigan said he hoped to establish an information sharing protocol with the PSNI.

He said it would operate on a cross-border basis and he expected to speak to the gardaí.

He hopes to attract funding from Stormont's Department of Justice and private donations.

He said the charity could save the state money by preventing expensive compensation payments from the police to families like the Simpsons.

Following criticism of the Katie Simpson investigation by Northern Ireland's Police Ombudsman, the PSNI announced that it was reviewing a number of other deaths where no investigation had been deemed appropriate.

In a statement today the PSNI said it had looked again at four deaths which had originally been recorded as non-suspicious.

"That review process is now in its final stage and at this time, no investigation has been reclassified.

"Once the process is complete the outcomes will be confirmed in due course."