The Grand National is the most famous and popular horse race in the calendar, watched by millions and seen as one of the biggest sporting events in the UK. While it is regarded as something of a national institution, it has not been without controversy over the years, with many horse deaths sparking criticism from animal welfare groups.

Changes have been made in recent years to make the race safer, not least a cut in the number of runners from 40 to 34 and an earlier start time of 4pm. The first fence was also moved 60 yards closer to the start, while there is no longer a parade of the field in an effort to keep the horses calmer and the height of the 11th fence has been lowered by two inches to 4ft 10ins. However, the changes have not been enough to prevent more deaths and injuries.

In total, 89 horses have died after being entered in the race. Last year saw Celebre d’Allen die a few days after the main Aintree race after collapsing on the track.

After modifications to the course were introduced in 2012, six horse deaths have occurred, but a total of 65 have died since 2000 across all races at the three-day festival. There were two at this year’s Grand National festival prior to the start of the main race at 4pm on Saturday.

On Friday, Gold Dancer died after picking up a fatal injury on the way to victory in the William Hill Mildmay Novices’ Chase. It was later revealed the horse broke its back.

Get On George was put down on Saturday shortly after the first televised race of the day.

An RSPCA spokesperson said: “We are devastated by Gold Dancer’s death.

Aintree Racecourse issued a statement confirming the news, saying: “The winner of our second race of the day, Gold Dancer, was pulled up after the line and dismounted.

“He was immediately attended to by our expert veterinary team but sadly he could not be saved.

“Our heartfelt condolences are with his connections.”

“This is the 42nd fatality linked to competitive horse-racing in the UK this year alone – and it is only April.

“Lessons must be learned from any tragedy like this – around the contributing factors, pre- and mid-race decision-making, and means of prevention.

“We will be speaking with the British Horseracing Authority later today (10 April) to discuss the incident, understand their assessment of what happened, and how it could have been prevented – including an update on the welfare of other horses who are reported to have fallen today.

“The RSPCA continues to engage with the industry in the hope of seeing greater safety measures introduced to the sport, and improvements for equine welfare both on and off the track.”

The number of Grand National race horse deaths since 2000

2025 – 1

2024 – 0

2023 – 3

2022 – 2

2021 – 1

2020 – N/A

2019 – 1

2018 – 0

2017 – 0

2016 – 0

2015 – 0

2014 – 0

2013 – 0

2012 – 2

2011 – 2

2010 – 0

2009 – 1

2008 – 1

2007 – 1

2006 – 1

2005 – 0

2004 – 0

2003 – 1

2002 – 2

2001 – 0

2000 – 0

LONDON (AP) — Britain’s agreement to hand Mauritius the Chagos Islands that are home to a strategic U.K.-American military base is on indefinite hold because U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration has withdrawn its support for the deal.

The British government acknowledged Saturday that legislation to ratify the agreement for the islands in the Indian Ocean has run out of time in Parliament.

It’s the latest fallout from souring relations between Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government and the Trump administration.

Trump initially backed the deal, but changed his mind in January, calling a deal to transfer sovereignty of the islands, home to the joint military base on Diego Garcia, “an act of GREAT STUPIDITY” in a social media post.

The U.K. put the bill’s progress on hold, and the government now concedes it will run out of time to become law before the current session of Parliament ends in the next few weeks. It is not expected to be included in the list of bills announced by King Charles III for the next session of Parliament, which begins May 13.

Despite British frustration with the U.S. change of stance, officials still hope the deal can be revived.

“Diego Garcia is a key strategic military asset for both the U.K. and the U.S.,” the British government said in a statement. “Ensuring its long-term operational security is and will continue to be our priority — it is the entire reason for the deal.

“We continue to believe the agreement is the best way to protect the long-term future of the base, but we have always said we would only proceed with the deal if it has U.S. support. We are continuing to engage with the U.S. and Mauritius.”

Simon McDonald, who was head of Britain’s Foreign Office until 2020, said the government “had no other choice” except to put the deal on ice.

“When the president of the United States is openly hostile, the government has to rethink. So this agreement, this treaty will go into the deep freeze for the time being,” he told the BBC.

The strategic military base in focus

The remote chain of more than 60 islands off the tip of India, south of the Maldives, has been under British control since 1814.

A military base on Diego Garcia, one of the islands, has supported U.S. military operations from Vietnam to Iraq and Afghanistan and as a base for American bombers in the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.

Starmer initially blocked American planes from using British air bases for attacks on Iran. He later agreed to let the United States use bases in England and on Diego Garcia to strike Iran’s missile sites, but not other targets.

Trump has disparaged the United States’ NATO allies for their reluctance to join the war. He derided Starmer last month as “not Winston Churchill” and mocked the Royal Navy.

Starmer’s government says the deal protects the base from international legal challenge. In recent years, the United Nations and its top court have urged Britain to return the islands to Mauritius.

Britain’s opposition Conservative Party and Reform U.K. opposed the agreement, saying giving up the islands puts them at risk of interference by China and Russia. They have pushed the Trump administration to rescind its support.

Islanders who were displaced from Diego Garcia in the 1960s and 1970s to make way for the base say they weren’t consulted and worry the deal will make it harder for them to go home.

An estimated 10,000 displaced Chagossians and their descendants now live primarily in Britain, Mauritius and the Seychelles. Some have fought unsuccessfully in U.K. courts for many years for the right to go home.

The festival returns this summer for its 13th annual outing since 2013.

Lisa Hannigan, The Staves, Deirdre O’Kane, and The Tallest Man on Earth are just four of the acts performing at this year’s Open House Festival.

The festival returns to Bangor for its 13th annual outing since 2013. With more than 50 events announced, and many more to come, it will attract around 50,000 visitors to the Co Down city over the summer period.

The focal venues for ticketed events will be the festival stage at Bangor Castle Walled Garden, and the Court House on Bangor seafront, the award-winning music and arts venue established by Open House in 2022.

READ MORE: Titanic Distillery to host very first music festivalREAD MORE: Details as iconic Derry Jazz Festival marks 25th year with bumper line-up

Lisa Hannigan and The Staves have both performed sell-out shows at the festival in previous years, but this will be the first visit to Bangor for Deirdre O’Kane, one of Ireland’s most popular comedians, and the Swedish singer-songwriter Kristian Matsson, aka The Tallest Man on Earth.

All four will be appearing at the Walled Garden, as will American country singer Ashley Campbell, daughter of the legendary Glen Campbell.

Other music guests at this year’s festival include Donegal sisters The Henry Girls, the renowned Irish singer songwriter, and younger brother of Christy Moore, Luka Bloom, the Bangor/Yorkshire indie-soul band Skinny Living, and Bangor’s own The Florentinas.

Over the past few years, a strong comedy line-up has become synonymous with the festival, and this summer will be no different. Aside from Deirdre O’Kane, Neil Delamere and Emer Maguire have also been announced.

Literary guests include Andrew Lownie, author of Entitled, the explosive exposé on Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Sarah Ferguson, journalist Sally Hayden whose new book This is Also a Love Story is predicted to be as impactful as her previous award winning My Fourth Time, We Drowned, and Gina Goldhammer, the former editor of Henry Kissinger who has published her first novel at the age of 72.

Other events include a Court House music residency with upcoming jazz singer Madi McCullough, a photography exhibition by Bangor photographer, artist, and musician Rachel McCarthy, a DJ set by Pete Snodden, and the annual Bank Holiday Monday Celtic Soul gig in the Walled Garden.

And it wouldn’t be summer in Bangor without the annual free Open House Festival Picnic in the Park series in Ward Park every Sunday afternoon throughout July and August. Acts performing this year include punk favourites Wasted Talent, the ever-popular, crowd-drawing 19 th Street Band and Anna’s Number, and new to the park, the Queen tribute band, Queen Magic.

Open House director, Kieran Gilmore said: “We are announcing the festival a little bit earlier than normal this year but with everything going on in the world, we decided people deserved something to look forward to. Our festival has become a teenager this year, and that is really something to celebrate, as when we moved it to Bangor from Belfast in 2012, we didn’t know how things would pan out.

“Thirteen years on and we’re still here, but this is a really tough business to be in just now. We’re very grateful for the funding assistance we still receive, but ultimately it is the support from our audiences and the local arts and business communities that keeps us going. We hope they like what we have planned for them this summer.”

Tickets are now on sale at www.openhousefestival.com.

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.

The Death in Paradise star has opened up about an on-set incident that left his eyes red and streaming

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Death in Paradise star Daniel Ward has revealed an unexpected ‘burning’ sensation he faced on the BBC set. During the most recent episode of the beloved crime drama, DI Mervin Wilson (played by Don Gilet) was reunited with his long-lost brother Solomon, portrayed by Daniel.

It wasn’t long before the scheming con-artist began showing his true colours on the fictional island, ultimately drawing his brother into his chaotic drama. The gripping series finale pushed their relationship to breaking point when Mervin was kidnapped and tied to a chair after taking the chance to visit his brother in Antigua.

Now, the up-and-coming actor has shared details about what it was like to work on Death in Paradise as he marked its 15th anniversary on television. Speaking to the Daily Express, the TV star admitted that he made a serious blunder while filming the second episode that he certainly won’t be repeating.

He explained: “The thing that I found most surprising on set was the impact of the tear stick. In episode two, when we got covered in the hot pepper sauce, somebody had the bright idea of using a tear stick, and I’ve never used one before.

“So I just put a little bit on, and then I made a classic mistake. I was like, ‘Oh, that’s not doing anything,’ but boy was I wrong,” he continued.

“When you see episode two, you will see my eyes are red and streaming. That is not acting; that is the effect of being overconfident and thinking I could handle it. That stuff burns! It was very useful, though, but boy, was it strong.”

This comes after Death in Paradise made an exciting announcement regarding the show’s future following its 15th series, which wrapped up last month.

Dedicated fans will remember the poignant moment when Detective Mervin Wilson decided to let his niece stay with him on the fictional island of Saint Marie after his brother and her father completed his prison sentence.

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This left audiences questioning whether another series was on the cards, and BBC bosses have now confirmed that the cast and crew will return in December with a Christmas special.

Posting to its official Death in Paradise Instagram account, they stated: “That’s the end of this series, but the good news is, we’ll be back… at Christmas!”

Fans flocked to the comments section to share their excitement, with one user writing: “Before Christmas please. Best series ever!”, while another agreed: “Ended on a high.”

A third added: “I actually thought this one was one of my absolute favourites. My wife and I are diehard fans from the beginning. I won’t say how much we watch reruns, but it’s probably something a study could be made of.”

A fourth chimed in: “I really wish there were more episodes in a series, but this is why I binge-watch old series to get me through until Christmas.”

Death in Paradise is available to stream now on BBC iPlayer.

FORT COLLINS, Colo. (AP) — Junelle Lewis was on the hunt for a reprieve from Seattle-area gas prices driven high by the Iran war when an app on her phone gave her the answer: the Tulalip Reservation north of the city, almost half an hour from her home.

She didn’t hesitate.

“I purposely drove here just for the gas,” Lewis said while filling up her Chevrolet Suburban at the Tulalip Market this week for $4.84 a gallon (3.8 liters) — about 75 cents less than prices near home. “Gas is ridiculous. But I have found, honestly, over the years, this gas station specifically is cheaper than a lot around here. Probably the cheapest.”

Lewis isn’t the only driver who has discovered that some of cheapest fuel can be found on Native American reservations.

Especially in California, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma and Washington state — places with dozens of tribally owned stations, including some in busy travel corridors — tribes exempt from state fuel taxes can sell for much less than competing stations nearby.

Gas prices push the drive to find bargains

Apps such as Gas Buddy make finding the cheapest gas easier than ever.

Nationwide, gasoline prices have risen by well over $1 since the Iran war began Feb. 28, reaching an average of $4.15 a gallon, according to AAA.

Prices have been higher, topping $5 during the summer of 2022, but economists believe they will continue heading up and contribute to inflation in the weeks of ahead as geopolitical tension persists.

Deals are to be found, though, at many of the almost 500 tribally owned convenience stores with gas stations across the U.S.

Fifty-five are in California. At the Chukchansi Crossing Fuel Station & Travel Center between Fresno and Yosemite National Park, the $5.09 gas was 60 cents less than nearby stations.

New Mexico resident Jamie Cross usually finds savings on the Mescalero Apache Reservation, where gas was as low as $3.79 this week.

“I hope we don’t go any higher,” Cross said Thursday.

In eastern New York state, on Cattauragus Indian Territory between Buffalo and Erie, Pennsylvania, the cheapest gas was about $3.65 at more than half a dozen stations — 50 cents less than in towns nearby.

Tribal lands find a fuel tax escape

So how do tribes do it? Two words: Tax exemptions.

Generally tribes must pay the federal fuel tax of 18.4 cents per gallon for gasoline and 24.3 cents per gallon for diesel, and pass that cost along to drivers. State fuel taxes are a different matter.

For well over a century, U.S. courts have found that states don’t have authority to collect taxes from Native Americans on their land, said Dan Lewerenz, a University of North Dakota assistant law professor who specializes in Native American law.

“The Supreme Court consistently held to this view and it’s one of the most enduring principles in federal Indian law,” Lewerenz said.

Federally recognized Native American tribes are in 35 states with state gasoline taxes ranging from 9 cents per gallon in Alaska to 71 cents in California.

From there, things get complicated based on where the fuel is taxed — at fuel terminals, say, or when distributors buy or sell fuel — and depending on various agreements between states and tribes.

Court rulings come into play. In 2005, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that off-reservation distributors in Kansas may charge state tax on sales to tribes for on-reservation fuel sales. But in 2019, the Supreme Court held that an 1855 treaty between the U.S. and the Yakama Nation that ensured the free travel of tribal members on roads with their goods prohibited state fuel taxes on tribal lands in Washington state.

“This is a little bit different than the principle that Indians aren’t taxed within Indian Country because this particular treaty reserved certain off-reservation rights for the Indians as well,” Lewerenz said.

Gas is just one way stores make money

Convenience store gas sales are not as profitable as bringing people inside from the pumps.

Selling snacks adds profit. But tribal businesses are increasingly offering groceries in what otherwise would be “food deserts” far from grocery stores.

“Sometimes these gas stations and convenience stores are the nearest, best place to purchase affordable food or household supplies,” said Matthew Klas, with the Minneapolis-based consultant Klas Robinson Q.E.D.

Klas does market research and consults for tribal businesses and tracks the 245 tribes nationwide that, as of 2025, operated 496 convenience stores with gas stations.

Oklahoma, California, Washington, Arizona, New Mexico, Wisconsin, Michigan and New York have the most. Some tribes, including the Choctaw Nation in Oklahoma and Oneida Indian Nation in New York, have their own store chains.

Drive-through smoke shops, car washes and truck stop amenities also bring in revenue. Then there are the casinos: 205 tribally owned gas stations are located at or near casinos.

Some tribal casinos are resorts with gas stations. Some tribal gas stations are casinos of a sort called “gasinos,” which only have a small number of gambling machines.

Tribally owned businesses are a major revenue generator for Native American reservations. On the Seattle area’s Tulalip Reservation, rising gas sales were being reinvested in the community, helping to cover the cost of roads, police, health care, education, housing and other needs, Tulalip Tribes Federal Corporation CEO Tanya Burns said in a statement.

“Like any government, we provide critical services to our people,” Burns said.

It’s not just about savings

“It’s terrible,” Todd Hall of Paden, Oklahoma, said of diesel prices as he spent about $90 to fill up his tow truck at the Citizen Potawatomi Nation gas station about 30 miles (48 kilometers) west of Oklahoma City.

But, he added: “They’re cheaper here than anywhere else.”

Hall paid $4.57 per gallon for diesel, and said the price is over $5 at many locations in the area.

Mark Foster said he saves about $5 a week buying fuel at the tribally owned gas station. But he’s a faithful customer because the tribe is a good community partner, he said.

“I like the way the tribe operates,” he said. “And the price is good too.”

At the Tulalip Market north of Seattle, Jared Blankenship was griping not about prices but that he was having to pay for gas at all.

“Yeah, well, my electric car just got totaled,” Blankenship said. “So this sucks. This is new. It’s either Costco or looking wherever’s cheap, like the rez. So here we are.”

___

Lindsey Wasson in Seattle; Sean Murphy in Oklahoma City; Susan Montoya Bryan in Albuquerque, New Mexico; and Savannah Peters in Edgewood, New Mexico, contributed.

The fourth annual Women in Business Awards took place on March 28 at the BWFC Premier Suite.

The sold-out event, founded by Anita McKay, celebrated the achievements of women in enterprise, leadership, and community impact.

350 guests attended the ceremony (Image: Creative Camera)

Ms McKay said: “I am blown away by the event this year, we have over 2,000 nominations for tonight’s awards, so to be a finalist and a winner is a huge achievement. I love everything the event represents, amazing businesses, women and impact.”

The event was hosted by Maura Jackson, and 350 guests attended the ceremony.

Guests included the Mayor and Mayoress of Bolton, Councillor David Chadwick and Mrs Valerie Chadwick.

The Mayor and Mayoress of Bolton, Councillor David Chadwick and Mrs Valerie Chadwick, presented the evening’s highest honour, the Lifetime Achievement Award, to Sital Arjan Raja MBE for her outstanding contribution to Bolton’s business community.

Among the more than 30 winners were Sarah Hulme of Covem, Carrie Flitcroft of Shiny and New Cleaning Services, Ruth Wilkinson of Ruth Wilkinson Fitness, Hasina Reshamwalla of VEDA, and Helen Smith of Althams Travel.

The evening featured live music from Tommy Price and karaoke sponsored by Mercedes-Benz of Bolton.

A charity raffle raised more than £1,000 for BACKUP North West.

Sital Arjan Raja MBE took home the Lifetime Achievement (Image: Creative Camera)

The event was sponsored by Jacksons Accountants and Mercedes-Benz of Bolton.

Future events include the Men in Business Awards in May and the Health and Wellbeing Awards later this year.

A newly launched event, the Proper Northern Wedding Awards, will debut in 2026.

Applications and involvement opportunities for the 2027 awards are now open.

North Yorkshire Police said the black Giant bicycle was stolen from a cycle rack near Home Bargains in Foss Islands Road between 8.30pm and 10pm on Tuesday, March 31.

The force said the lock was removed before the bike was stolen.

Officers are urging anyone with information about the theft to contact North Yorkshire Police.

Those with information are asked to email mark.burrows@northyorkshire.police.uk or phone 101.

Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111 or via its website.

Quote reference 12260058403 when passing on information to police or to Crimestoppers.

DETROIT (AP) — After a few years of sharing a 2019 Chevrolet Trax, Dana Eble and Tyler Marcus are finally looking for a second car. But as they jump into the market, the young married couple isn’t sure what they can afford.

“I just keep seeing a lot of different aspects of life getting more expensive, and it’s harder,” said Eble, an account manager for a public relations agency.

Car ownership has long been integral to the American dream. But as automakers slash the production of inexpensive models to cater to customers who can afford oversized pickups and sport utility vehicles, buyers find themselves facing sticker shock at the same time they are already frustrated by the lingering effects of high inflation.

Consumer prices rose 3.3% in March, the biggest yearly increase since May 2024, while new car prices were up 12.6% from a year ago, the Labor Department reported Friday.

New vehicles now sell for an average of nearly $50,000, up 30% in six years, and average monthly payments — based on 10% down and a 6-year note — recently hit $775. Looking for something on the cheap end? The share of vehicles listing for less than $30,000 is about 13% — down from 40% five years ago, per the car review site CarGurus.

To cope, buyers are spreading their payments out longer. Consumers choosing 7-year loans make up more than 12% of all sales, up from nearly 8% a year ago, according to auto buying resource J.D. Power. Such contracts wind up costing more in the long run because of interest payments.

“The ability to buy transportation is still out there. The question is just, what do you get for your money?” Charlie Chesbrough, a senior economist at Cox Automotive, said.

The rising cost of cars is contributing to increased concerns about affordability throughout American life. Consumers, especially young people, say they feel like everyday needs like housing, food, utilities and child care are getting costlier and wages aren’t keeping up.

It is a vulnerable position for Republicans ahead of this year’s midterm elections, especially as the Iran war has pumped up gas prices that makes getting behind the wheel even more expensive.

Size, technology and ‘must-have’ features add to costs

Sticker prices have been rising since automakers discovered Americans are willing to pay more for bigger, more expensive SUVs and pickup trucks that bring the companies more profit from each sale. They have largely phased out smaller, cheaper sedans.

That is especially true for domestic carmakers; the average selling prices for many vehicles from Ford Motor Co., General Motors and Jeep-maker Stellantis have generally trended higher than those for Asian companies Honda, Hyundai, Mazda and Subaru.

Car companies are also savvy about placing desired options in more expensive trim levels that can lure consumers into a vehicle that costs more than they planned, said David Undercoffler, the head of consumer insights at CarGurus.

The COVID-19 pandemic pushed up auto prices because production fell, affecting both the new and used markets. Though production recovered, other supply chain disruptions and tariffs have affected prices. Meanwhile, government data shows that car insurance prices have soared 55% compared with six years ago, or just before the pandemic, driving up the number of Americans going without. Car repairs, on average, are 48% more expensive.

The share of new car buyers earning below $100,000 fell to 37% last year, down from 50% in 2020, according to Cox Automotive.

Some carmakers have acknowledged affordability concerns. In February, Ford said it would have several vehicles prices under $40,000 by the end of the decade. GM has pointed to vehicles from Buick and Chevrolet, including the Trax, as cheaper options.

Looking to used market for relief

Chesbrough thinks consumers are sometimes unrealistic in their wants.

“There are vehicles out there for less than $30,000. What everybody wants is the mid-sized SUV with leather seats and the sunroof for $25,000, and that’s not available,” Chesbrough said.

Those buyers, he said, are being pushed into the used market.

But as those buyers shift to used, they are finding fewer affordable options there, too. The share of used vehicles priced less than $30,000 fell from 78% in 2021 to 69% in February, according to CarGurus. The average used vehicle sold for about $25,000 in February, and the average used monthly payments hit $560.

The inventory of used cars is being hit by a couple of trends. One is that consumers keen to avoid a big expense are hanging on to their cars longer — nearly 13 years on average now, 18 months longer than a decade ago, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. And a downturn in the popularity of leasing means fewer two- and three-year-old cars hitting the market after leases expire.

J.D. Power estimates that consumers might spend up to $140 less on a lease payment than the average finance commitment, a good option especially for drivers whose annual mileage is predictable. But experts say there is still an affordability challenge.

What buyers can do

Sam Dykhuis, 27, of Chicago, needed to buy her first car recently when she started a new job as a scheduler for United Airlines. She searched for something used under $20,000, and eventually paid a little more than that for a 2021 Mazda CX-5. To hold down the cost, she tapped savings to buy the car outright. She pays insurance six months at a time to save a few bucks, too.

Still, “My paycheck went down and my expenses went up,” Dykhuis said. “Certainly, I have to be more just on top of it than I was previously.”

Eble, 30, and Marcus, 31, say they appreciate cool vehicles but don’t consider themselves “car people” and are hoping their search is easier as a result. Still, finding something in their $20,000 to $30,000 budget might not be as easy as it once was.

They are considering cars such as a newer Trax, a Mazda or maybe an electric vehicle. New EVs generally cost more upfront, but consumers can save in the long run. The used EV market will also soon be flooded with two- or three-year-old EVs that were leased at the time federal credits were generous.

Like Dykhuis, they say they also might buy their new ride outright to avoid a new monthly payment.

“It feels like if anything happens out of our control … it just seems so much more difficult to figure out how to orient our finances,” Eble said.

___

Alexa St. John is an Associated Press climate reporter. Follow her on X: @alexa_stjohn. Reach her at [email protected].

The man’s current condition is unknown.

A man has been arrested and charged after an alleged stabbing near Edinburgh’s Central Mosque.

Officers from Police Scotland were called to Nicolson Street in the city centre at around 7pm on Friday night, April 10, after reports of a serious assault. One man was rushed to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.

The man’s current condition is unknown. A cordon was erected at the scene and guarded by uniformed officers while detectives carried out an investigation.

The car park outside the Central Mosque was surrounded by several police vans. A 23-year-old was arrested and charged at the scene.

It is understood the incident is not being treated as a hate crime. He will appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Monday.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Around 7.20pm on Friday, 10 April, 2026, officers received a report of a serious assault on Nicolson Street, Edinburgh. A man was taken to hospital for treatment.

“A 23-year-old man was arrested and charged in connection and is due to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Monday, 13 April, 2026.”

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The pathologist who drew criticism from a High Court judge over his initial conclusions on Katie Simpson’s death has left his post and is currently not licensed to practice.

While there is no suggestion that this played any role in his decision to leave, it is unclear if he will now attend the pending inquest.

Ms Simpson, 21, from Tynan, Co Armagh, died in Altnagelvin Area Hospital almost a week after an incident in Gortnessy Meadows, Lettershandoney, on August 3 2020.

The postmortem was carried after Katie passed away six days after being presented unresponsive to Altnagelvin Hospital.

Death was deemed ‘probable hanging’; however, it later emerged that this was largely based on the account provided by Katie’s killer, Jonathan Creswell.

READ MORE: Katie Simpson’s family expresses ‘significant concern’ over Ombudsman findingsREAD MORE: Katie Simpson: Ombudsman finds no evidence of criminal wrongdoing by officer during investigation

He claimed to have rescued her from hanging, but the truth was much more sinister. Katie had been subjected to sustained and savage assault after Creswell discovered she had spent the night with a new boyfriend.

Having first driven her across the border, during which it is believed she was ‘interrogated’ and while in possession of her phone, Creswell returned to the house in Gortnessy Meadows, Derry, in the early hours of August 3 2020.

At some point after that, Creswell strangled Katie, then staged a hanging scenario. Despite his obvious inconsistencies and frantic reports to PSNI of Creswell’s propensity for strangulation, no action was taken.

Forensic photographs were not taken of Katie’s battered body on the day she was admitted to hospital.

Incomprehensibility, throughout the week Katie fought for her life, police were providing updates to Creswell.

However, a detective did attend the postmortem, leading the pathologist to enquire why this was necessary.

He was advised there was a “level of suspension’ and the detective was thereafter asked to contact Creswell for further information, which police sources have confirmed was done and recorded in the case log.

While images were taken of Katie’s injuries at postmortem, these did not appear to cause alarm, having been explained away by Creswell’s claims she was trampled by a horse.

The later descriptions of these injuries were clearly inconsistent with trampling. With the postmortem signed off as ‘probable hanging’ police closed the case as non-suspicious. This was entirely rejected by some who simply refused to accept the narrative.

After significant agitation, a second PSNI team took over, and a murder enquiry was launched.

The postmortem images were reviewed by a Home Office pathologist who noted linear marks on Katie’s limbs indicative of ‘tramline injuries’ having been inflicted with a rod-type implement. These present as twin red or bruised lines side-by-side, caused by the implement bearing down and the skin on either side being pulled inward.

Injuries on Katie’s hands suggested defensive wounds, and bruising to her inner thigh pointed to ‘grip marks’ often seen in violent sexual assault.

Presented with the alternative opinion, the original pathologist changed the cause of death to ‘possible hanging’.

During a High Court bail application, prosecution counsel said, “The pathologist described (death) as possible hanging. That’s mainly on the face of information given to him by the Applicant (Creswell).”

Mr Justice O’Hara responded, “But if that’s right, the pathologist should not – with all due respect – be signing off the cause of death on the basis of what somebody has told them. The pathologist should only be signing off on the basis of a medical examination, and then say either ‘I can’t say what the cause of death was’ or ‘The cause of death was consistent with A, B or C.’”

Creswell’s senior counsel added, “There must assuredly have been communication with investigating police and the pathologist. It’s perhaps somewhat trite to suggest the pathologist findings are from what he was told by the accused. That simply wouldn’t happen, and it’s nonsense to suggest that would happen.”

The judge replied, “It certainly shouldn’t happen.”

The remarks were put to the Department of Justice, and a spokesperson replied, “The pathologist has confirmed that they did not contact or speak with anyone other than the police and colleagues about this case, as would be normal practice.”

Challenged on this, the department was asked if the pathologist asked police to speak to Creswell.

The reply was, “We have nothing to add.”

All further attempts for clarification since have been met with a response that the pathologist would wait until the inquest.

However, the pathologist has now left and when asked about the circumstances, the Department said, “Personal information about current and former members of staff cannot be released.”

A Freedom of Information response showed the post became vacant on April 1 2025, and was advertised the following June.

There were two applications, and the post was filled on January 19 this year.

The pathologist remains registered with the General Medical Council but has not had a licence to practice since January 2025.

However, this does not necessarily mean there are concerns as a doctor may relinquish their licence, for a range of reasons including retirement, moving abroad or deciding to pursue other work.

The Department of Justice, which encompasses the State Pathologist’s Office, was asked to contact the former pathologist or clarify on his behalf that he will attend to give evidence at Katie’s inquest, having since left his post.

A spokesperson replied: “This case is subject to an ongoing coronial investigation. Decisions regarding witnesses are a matter for the Coroner and, as such it would not be appropriate for the Department to comment.”

However, a follow-up enquiry confirmed that a coroner can require people to attend an inquest and consider any request not to attend.