Jonathan Creswell: Judge's office explains why murder suspect on bail

The reasons why a man who died during his murder trial was on bail and not in custody have been set out by a spokesperson for Northern Ireland's most senior judge.

Jonathan Creswell was charged with the murder and rape of Katie Simpson.

He was originally in custody following his arrest in 2020 but was later granted bail at the High Court.

The Lady Chief Justice's Office said bail had been granted "on strict terms".

The trial of Creswell ended abruptly on Wednesday after he was found dead.

It is not unusual for defendants in murder cases to be released on bail.

It happens frequently in the courts under strict bail conditions imposed by the judiciary.

Bail can be revoked if there is a serious breach of the conditions laid down by a Judge.

The Lady Chief Justice's Office Northern Ireland said Creswell was granted bail on 30 June 2021.

In a statement to BBC News NI, a spokesperson said: "In granting bail, the judge said that he was entitled to the presumption of innocence and that there was likely to be some considerable delay before the case came to trial."

They added that bail was granted on strict terms to protect the victim's family, witnesses and the public, and the court was not made aware of any breaches of the bail conditions.

The spokesperson said there had been no application to revoke bail at the start of the trial.

"The presumption of innocence means that the law must regard everyone charged with an offence - regardless of how grave it is - as innocent unless and until the contrary is proved to the required standard after due process of law," the spokesperson said.

"There is also a presumption in favour of releasing an accused person on bail unless the court is satisfied that there is a risk of e.g. flight, re-offending, or interference with witnesses which cannot be managed on bail."

The Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland is still awaiting a response from the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) about the investigation into the death of Katie Simpson.

He had been accused of raping and murdering the young showjumper in August 2020 in a rage after finding out she was in a relationship with a young man he knew.

Prosecutors also claimed Creswell attempted to cover-up the alleged murder by claiming the 21-year-old died by suicide.

The Police Ombudsman launched an investigation in 2021 after receiving complaints about the police investigation into the circumstances of the young showjumper's death.

The police watchdog subsequently submitted a misconduct file to the Professional Standards Department of the PSNI in April 2023 about the conduct of a number of police officers - believed to be six.

A year on, the Police Ombudsman is still awaiting the outcome of its recommendations to the PSNI.

The PSNI told BBC News NI the file was extensive and it would "take some time" to fully and properly consider its content.