An individual who had an arrest warrant issued against them 18 months prior went on to sexually assault and kill his girlfriend’s two-year-old daughter after a period of sustained abuse. Isabelle Welsh endured multiple instances of abuse, resulting in 21 broken bones, before collapsing at her residence in Thornaby, Teesside, in September.
Following a trial at Teesside Crown Court, Alexandra Walker, 26, and her boyfriend Harrison Simpson, 22, were found guilty of murder and child cruelty last week. Simpson was also convicted of sexually assaulting Isabelle, while Walker was acquitted of that charge.
Cleveland Police acknowledged their failure to execute a warrant issued by Teesside Magistrates’ Court for Simpson’s arrest in March 2024. The warrant was issued due to Simpson’s non-appearance in court for breaching a non-molestation order aimed at protecting victims of domestic abuse.
The non-molestation order was put in place following reports of Simpson harassing and threatening a woman. Despite multiple efforts to locate and arrest him, the authorities were unsuccessful. A statement from the police mentioned that upon Simpson’s arrest for murder, a review was conducted to address the inadequacies in handling the outstanding warrant.
Ms. Justice Norton described Isabelle’s murder as the culmination of a prolonged period of violence, which the couple attempted to conceal. Simpson received a life sentence with a minimum term of 28 years and six months, while Walker was sentenced to 22 years, both minus time served on remand. The court was informed that the crimes were part of a deliberate and extreme campaign of violence.
Ms. Justice Norton expressed the tragedy of a young child’s death at the hands of those entrusted to care for her, emphasizing the distress caused by such a heinous act. Isabelle suffered a fatal head injury within 24 hours before her death in the hospital, and the judge mentioned that the toddler was sexually assaulted around the time of the fatal blow.
