Three women involved in ‘conspiracy of silence’

Three women to be sentenced in relation to the death of showjumper Katie Simpson were “complicit in a conspiracy of silence”, a court has been told.

Ms Simpson, 21, died after an incident in a home in Lettershandoney, County Londonderry, in August 2020.

The man on trial for her rape and murder – Jonathan Creswell – was found dead at his home last month.

Mr Creswell, 36, had denied the charges.

Before his trial began, Jill Robinson, Hayley Robb and Rose De Montmorency-Wright had pleaded guilty to a range of offences relating to Ms Simpson’s death.

The court heard their actions in the aftermath of the incident had derailed the police investigation.

A prosecution barrister said it was accepted that none of the three women believed they were involved in covering up a murder.

Instead, they believed they were assisting in covering up an assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

A defence lawyer told Londonderry Crown Court on Friday that Mr Creswell was involved in “a web of relationships” and that he exercised “unfettered control on the lives of young women”.

Hayley Robb, 30, from Weavers Meadow in Banbridge, County Down, has admitted withholding information and two charges of perverting the course of justice.

She washed clothes belonging to Mr Creswell and cleaned blood at his home.

Jill Robinson, 42, from Blackfort Road in Omagh, County Tyrone, also admitted perverting the course of justice by washing clothes belonging to Mr Creswell.

Rose De Montmorency-Wright, 22, from Craigantlet Road in Newtownards, County Down, has admitted withholding information between 9 October 2020 and 13 October 2021.

She was living with Creswell and his then partner Christina Simpson – Katie Simpson’s sister.

The court was told that on the day before the incident, Ms Simpson created a false narrative in a bid to ensure that Mr Creswell did not find out that she had entered a new relationship.

She was said to be “concerned” about his reaction but over the course of the day it became clear he had found out.

It was also alleged during the hearing that Mr Creswell “feigned surprise” at finding Ms Simpson’s body and he then gave police the wrong address to delay any investigation.

Hayley Robb had been in a sexual relationship with Mr Creswell for a period of 10 years, the court heard.

She initially denied any wrongdoing in relation to the investigation, but she later admitted that Mr Creswell had told her he had given Ms Simpson “a good hiding” the night before she was found injured.

Robb admitted that she had washed some of Mr Creswell’s clothes and that she was aware he had taken a cold shower before going to the hospital.

The court heard that he had told her “not to breathe a word of it”.

Robb also told police she had cleaned up blood in the house where Ms Simpson was found but was not sure when she did that.

It was alleged that during the course of Robb and Mr Creswell’s relationship he was “controlling and abusive” and, on one occasion, she witnessed him pulling a woman across a yard by the hair.

The prosecution said that Robb had “misled” police by failing to declare “critical evidence”, which may have led to a different type of investigation.

Jill Robinson had also been in a relation with Mr Creswell some years before, but she claimed she was not afraid of him.

She accepted she had been asked to wash the clothes by Robb but thought this was “not unusual”.

When Robinson was asked why she did not go to the police after Mr Creswell was arrested, she replied that she had assumed officers would contact her.

On the day Katie Simpson was taken to hospital, the court heard that Mr Creswell went to a layby near the Foyle Bridge in Londonderry where he spoke to Robinson and Robb.

He allegedly said to them: “Youse think I did this.”

Mr Creswell added that he was going to claim that the deceased had been “trampled by a horse” to explain her injuries.

The prosecution said that Robinson was loyal to Mr Creswell and it was accepted that, at the time, she believed she was covering up an assault.

De Montmorency-Wright claimed to have witnessed Ms Simpson falling from her horse, according to the prosecution.

She also told police that Mr Creswell had admitted to her that he “had hit Katie with the end of a stick around the ankles”.

De Montmorency-Wright said she did not press him for details, later saying she wanted to “have Jonny’s back”.

The court heard that De Montmorency-Wright had also derailed the police investigation by not disclosing “crucial features”.

Her defence barrister said Mr Creswell exercised a “large degree of control on a number of young women”.

“Those being controlled can’t see it or can’t acknowledge it,” he added.

Robb’s defence barrister said his client had never expected to be before a court but had been caught up “in an insidious trajectory” after being exposed to Mr Creswell’s controlling behaviour.

Robinson’s defence barrister said she would carry the stain of this with her and felt it best to leave Northern Ireland.

The judge said there was a lot to consider in the case and he would sentence the three women on 14 June.