Ex-girlfriend of Katie Simpson murder accused comforted by fact ‘he can never hurt anyone again’

Creswell (36) was found dead at his home yesterday morning. He had been on bail.

His death is not being treated as suspicious and the coroner has been informed. As a result of his passing the trial has been concluded.

Co Armagh showjumper Katie Simpson (21) died in hospital on August 9, 2020, six days after an incident at the home he shared with her sister — who was Creswell’s partner at the time — in Lettershandoney, Co Derry. Another woman also lived at the property.

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On August 3, Creswell claimed he rescued Katie from a suicide attempt.

Prosecutors alleged on the first day of Creswell’s trial on Tuesday that he raped, strangled and killed Katie out of “jealousy” and tried to cover it up by making it look like a suicide.

Speaking to BBC News NI, Creswell’s ex-girlfriend Abigail Lyle explained how during her nine-month relationship with Creswell, she was beaten up "every couple of weeks".

"Every couple of weeks for those nine months, I did something that would be unacceptable to him.”

She noted that she genuinely thought he was going to kill her during a specific incident in a wooded area in Co Monaghan.

"I never felt fear like that... to just be in a car with somebody and you don't know where you are going... He took me into the woods and threatened me, every time, he threatened to kill me," she said.

"I thought he was going to do it this time, he didn't obviously, but that attack lasted hours.

"He was just beating me, throwing me around, choking me, screaming at me, calling me names and asking me horrible questions.

"That was the worst by far and it would last for such a time and then he would just say: 'I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I didn't mean that, don't go' and then the cycle would start over again."

In 2010, Creswell was jailed for six months for a catalogue of abuse against Abi.

He had pleaded guilty to five charges of assaulting his then 25-year-old girlfriend, occasioning her actual bodily harm, and one of common assault between February and August 2009.

He had also threatened to drop her into a bath tub full of bleach.

She added: "One evening I came home and I could smell it from downstairs, he had filled the bath with bleach.

"I started screaming and someone actually came to the door.

"I don't know who that was but, thank you. Someone came and banged on the door and he [Creswell] said 'if you're quiet I won't put you in the bleach' so I was quiet.

"So I just got a normal beating instead."

Ms Lyle now has a successful career competing in international dressage and is hoping to be chosen to represent Ireland at the Paris Olympics in July.

She expressed her sympathies to Kate Simpson’s family, continuing: "Although it is a shame we didn't get to see Jonathan Creswell face his crimes and be brought to justice, I take a lot of solace in the fact that he will never be able to hurt another person ever again.”