Irish Olympian on her abusive relationship with trainer linked to murder of showjumper
Irish Olympian and dressage rider Abigail Lyle has opened up on the abuse she suffered at the hands of Jonathan Creswell more than a decade before the death of showjumper Katie Simpson.
The County Down equestrian was in a relationship with Creswell from 2008 to 2009.
A year after it ended, he was jailed for six months for multiple vicious and prolonged assaults on Ms Lyle who has revealed the extent of what she suffered ahead of Death of a Showjumper, a new three-part documentary series by Sky.
Abigail Lyle and Jonathan Creswell.
News in 90 Seconds - Sunday July 13
It tells the story of a predatory abuser who operated in plain sight of Northern Ireland's 'horsey community' and explores police failings.
Speaking to The Irish Times, Ms Lyle said she had just turned 23 when she started a relationship with the Greysteel man and was only beginning her career with horses.
'He was just so confident, charming and cocky and cheeky,' Ms Lyle recalled.
'But also very thoughtful, sweet and kind — just an alluring person.'
Jonathan Creswell
However, the romance took a twist when Creswell assaulted Ms Lyle in February 2009 during a row before she left to go out with friends. He later sent a text apologising for his behaviour and asked if he could collect her.
'We got in the car and he swerved right, and my phone flew out of my hand... He said, 'You won't be needing that',' she said.
'Out of nowhere, he grabbed the back of my head [and] he hit my head off the window, off the dashboard.
'I was like, curled up, and he just hit me over my body, over and over and over. The shock of it. I always thought I would defend myself, but this crazy instinct took over.
'You will do or say anything to calm that person down because you are very aware you cannot win that fight. When he started to say, 'I'm really sorry, I'll never do that again. Oh my goodness. I really love you. Why did I do that?'… As soon as they say, 'Sorry', that pain is gone. Lifted.
'The relief was unbelievable, and it was like oxygen. By then I was in it.
'You think it's because of you. I shouldn't be doing these things, shouldn't be saying these things, I should be acting in a different way to stop this side of him coming out. But he got worse.'
Ms Lyle's father contacted Nuala Lappin, a specialist PSNI domestic violence officer, which she described as her 'saving grace'.
'We kind of started a communication, just on the phone, for a couple of months before I left [Creswell],' she said.
'She said, 'I know you are not ready to [leave Creswell], but you can, and you will'. She was amazing, she was the only person who understood... Everyone's reaction [to her relationship with Creswell] was anger. A lot of people were so angry with me. They were like: 'Why are you going back? Why?'
'Nuala was the only person who truly understood why at that time I couldn't. Having her advice is probably why I am here today.'
Katie Simpson
On August 3, 2020, Creswell drove Katie Simpson part-way to Altnagelvin Hospital before the unresponsive passenger was transferred to an ambulance.
He told paramedics and two police officers that she had attempted to take her own life.
She died in hospital without regaining consciousness a week later.
Following a botched PSNI investigation, Creswell was eventually charged with Katie's murder but took his own life after just one day of evidence in the case.
At his trial, it was alleged he had strangled her and tried to cover it up by claiming she had hanged herself.
Ms Lyle said that news of Creswell's arrest for Katie's murder 11 years after she walked away was 'devastating', but not surprising.
'I always thought he was capable of something like that,' she said.
Death of a Showjumper is set to air on Sky and Now on Wednesday
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